...Oman - 50 Rials Dated 2020 Hybrid Commemorative Banknote Reprint (Released 2024)

  سلطنة عُمان

(Sultanate of Oman)

البنك المركزي العماني

(Central Bank of Oman, Est 1974)

Currency : Rial (OMR)

 

This is a reprint of the 50 rials Hybrid note first issued in 2020. This note was initially issued as a commemorative note for the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the rise of the Modern Omani Renaissance, and also in memory of its founder, the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur (b.1940-2020). Sultan Qaboos ruled Oman between 1970 to 2020. Please click here to view my previous post on this note. Like the first print, this is also a Hybrid note.

 

As this is a reprint of the 2020 issue, the design is still the same except for the signature of the current Sultan. The previous 50-rial was printed with the previous Sultan, Qaboos bin Said, who died on 10.01.2020.

 

This is the highest denomination of banknotes currently issued and circulating in Oman. In terms of buying power, the Omani rial is the third strongest currency in the world, after the Kuwaiti dinar and Bahraini dinar. Coincidentally, the top four currencies of the world all came from the Middle East. To me, this is a high value note to collect. If you like large size banknotes, then you should not miss this one!

 

Fifty Rials

 

Signature - Sultan Haitham bin Tarik

Date - 2020 (released 2024)

Watermark - HM Sultan Qaboos and  ٥٠ (50)

Dimensions - 174mm x 77mm 

Front - A portrait of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said (b.1940-2020). In the center is the main headquarters of the Central Bank of Oman, located in the capital city of Oman, Muscat. The central bank was established in late 1974 and commenced operations on 01.04.1975. The Central Bank of Oman replaced Oman Currency Board as the principal currency authority in Oman. The head of the central bank is Taimur bin Asa'ad.

 

Back - The Council of Oman (parliament/legislature), the Supreme Court (judiciary) and the Ministry of Finance (economy). These are the three main pillars of a nation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...Iraq - 5000 (Paper), 25,000 and 50000 x 2 Dinars All Dated 2023 Hybrid

جمهورية العراق

(Republic of Iraq)

 

البنك المركزي العراقي

(Central Bank of Iraq, est.1947)

Currency - Dinar (IQD)

 

Below are four notes of 5000, 25000 and 50000 (x2) dinars all printed with the year date of 2023. The 5000 note is printed on paper substrate material and the remaining are on hybrid substrate material. The two 50000 dinars notes are the same designs except it has different signatures on it. The first one is signed by Mustafa Ghaleb Mukheef, who was the bank governor from 2020 to 2023. He voluntarily resigned on 23.01.2023 due to the continuous falling in the value of the Iraqi dinar currency. He was then replaced by Mushen al-Allaq. Apart from the signatures and dates, there are no changes to the designs on all three notes.

I believe these are the only 2023 notes sighted so far. It is not sure if other denominations have been printed but not released yet. I am not surprised if they are others as the 1000 dinars 2020 prints were only reported recently (October 2024).

 

Five Thousand Dinars (Paper)

 

Governor - Mustafa Ghaleb Mukheef (tenure 2020-2023 resigned)

Watermark - Cow's head

Dimensions - 159.5mm x 78.5mm

 

Front - The Gali Ali Bag waterfall is depicted in the center. This waterfall is located in the Kurdistan Region, and is the highest waterfall in the Kurdistan Region and all of Iraq. The waterfall is about 95 km northeast of Erbil, the capital city of Kurdistan Region.

 

Back - A bird-eye view of al-Ukether Fortress. This fortress is in a rectangular shape and was built in 775 AD. It is located about 50 km south of Karbala in Iraq. This site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.  

 

  

 

Twenty-Five Thousand Dinars (Hybrid)

 

Governor - Mustafa Ghaleb Mukheef (tenure 2020-2023 resigned*)

Watermark - Cow's head

Dimensions - 176.5mm x 78.5mm

 

Front - A Kurdish girl holding a jug over her right shoulder, a tractor ploughing the field loosening or turning the soil before planting. On the right is an ancient dinar coin. In the center of the note, it features a bunch of wheat.

 

Back - The main feature on the back of the note is the stone caving of the image of Hamurabiiy yatasallam al-sharia (King Hammurabi receiving the Law). On the bottom left is a sculpture of a standing animal, and in the bottom center are two horses walking toward each other.

Fifty Thousand Dinars (Hybrid)

 

Signature - Mustafa Ghaleb Mukheef (tenure 2020-2023)

Watermark - Head of a horse and electrotype ۵٠٠٠٠

Dimensions - 160mm x 66mm

 

Front - Featuring a water wheel, palm trees and the Gali Ali Bag waterfall.

 

Back - The images of people floating on the marches, a reed house, two buffaloes swimming in the marshes, wildlife migrating to the marches and the Tigris rivers. The water for the marshes mainly came from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

 

 

Fifty Thousand Dinars (Hybrid)

Signature - Muhsen al-Allaq (tenure 2023-)

Watermark - Head of a horse and electrotype ۵٠٠٠٠

Dimensions - 160.5mm x 67mm

 

Back - The images of people floating on the marches, a reed house, two buffaloes swimming in the marshes, wildlife migrating to the marches and the Tigris rivers. The water for the marshes mainly came from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

 

...eSwatini - 50 Emalangeni Hybrid Commemorative 50th Year of Central Bank of eSwatini

Umbuso weSwatini

(Kingdom of eSwatini)

 

Central Bank of eSwatini (Est.1974)

Currency - Lilangeni (SZL)

 

This is a commemorative note of 50 emalangeni released on 10.05.2024 for the celebration of 50 years of the creation of the central bank - Central Bank of eSwatini. 

The Central Bank of Swaziland was established on 01.04.1974. The bank is located in the capital city, Mbabane. On 09.11.2018, the King of eSwatini renamed the bank to the Central Bank of eSwatini. 

The design on the front for this note is similar to the previous 50 emalangeni issued but the reverse side of the note is completely new. This banknote is printed on ADDvance® Hybrid substrate.

Fifty Emalangeni

 

Signatures

Minister For Finance - Neal K. Rykenberg (tenure 2018-)

Governor - Dr Philemon F. Mnisi (tenure 2022-)

Date - 1.4.2024

Watermark - Portrait of King Mswati III

Printer - Green Banknote By Giesecke+Devrient . Germany

Dimensions - 153mm x 71mm

Front - Portrait of King Mswati III. King Mswati was crowned King of Swaziland on 25.04.1986 at the age of 18. The Kingdom of eSwatini is ruled by an absolute monarch/subnational monarchs* and is one of the only 12 remaining absolute nations in the world that is ruled by an absolute monarch. A rectangle shaped logo with rolling colour is printed in the center right.

 

Back - The design on the back is completely new. Previous design for this note depicts the central bank building. Starting from the central top is the King Mswati III International Airport with an airplane taking off. This airport was initially named Sikhuphe International Airport. Below that is the Sibebe Rock (granite mountain). The words Sibebe Rock are the only text printed on the note. The Sibebe Rock is situated about 10 km north-west of Mbabanehe and is the world's largest exposed granite pluton. The locals referred to this as the Bald Rock. To the top right is the image of a freeway interchange, and below that is a logo of a tap-and-pay. Binary numbers are also printed on the note, together with outlines of three people, a computer monitor and a graph.

 

Footnote *:-

Brunei, Emirate of Sharjah, Emirate of Fujairah, Emirate of Ajman, Kingdom of Eswatini, Emirate of Dubai, Emirate of Umm al-Quwain, Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, Vatican City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman and Emirate of Dhabi.

 

...Bermuda - $20 Dated 01.01.2009 Third Prints Hybrid (Third Print)

Bermuda

(British Overseas Territory)

Bermuda Monetary Authority (Est.1969)

Currency - Dollar (BMD)

 

This is a third print of the $20 Hybrid note, since it was first introduced in 2009. The theme for this series are local animals on the front and well known places or buildings on the back. As this is a reprint, it also has a new Chairman's signature on the note. There are no changes to the design except for the signature. This note is also printed with the date of 01.01.2009.

Twenty Dollars (Hybrid)

Front - A Lesser Antillean whistling frog resting on a tree branch. To the locals, they are simply known as whistling frogs or tree frogs. Printed on the top are two sailboats, and at the bottom left is the bust of the late Queen Elizabeth the Second.

 

Signatures: -

Chairman - Gerald Simons (tenure 2012-2018)

Director - Anthony Joaquin

Dimensions - 68mm x 140mm

Watermarks - Hibiscus flower and a sailboat

 

Back - On the left is the St Marks Church. The church is located on South Road in Smiths Parish. Construction for the church started in 1847 and was named after St. Marks who wrote the second gospel. To the right is the Gibbs Hill lighthouse. This white in colour lighthouse was built in 1844, and until June 1964, this lighthouse was run by hand. The lighthouse is 108 meters tall and is the tallest lighthouse in Bermuda.

 

...Zimbabwe - $100 2023 Hybrid Reprint

 Republic of Zimbabwe

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (est.1956)

(The King of Funny Money)

Currency : Dollar (ZWD)

 

This is a $100 reprint note dated 2023. I believe this is the last issue for this series as on 05.04.2026, the government of Zimbabwe introduced a new currency called Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG). This new currency replaced the current series first introduced in 2019.

This $100 note was first introduced on 06.04.2022. The last $100 note prior to this series was issued in 2009.

Zimbabwe has experienced years of hyperinflation mainly due to poor economy management, and because of this, the government was forced to accept a multi-currency systems, such as the US dollar. About 80% of the country's local transactions are settled with the USD. Despite the government trying to rely on its own currency by issuing a new Zimbabwean dollar in 2019, and also repeated efforts by the authorities to boost confidence, the Zimbabwean dollar continued to decline and lost its value by 80% in 2023. The multi-currency was supposed to end in 2025, but this has now been extended to 2030.

One Hundred Dollars

Matapos Balancing rocks

 

Front - Like all banknotes issued since 2019, the design on the front depicts the Matapos Balancing rocks near the town of Epworth. The image of the Matapos Balancing rocks have been the main feature on many of its previous series since the early 1980s, except briefly in the 2000s. 

Governor - John Panonetsa Mangudya (tenure 2014-2024)

Dimensions - 158mm x 67mm

Watermark - Zimbabwe eagle (Bateleur eagle)

Back - The main feature on the back is a baobab tree and the Great Zimbabwe Ruins Monument. The baobab tree is a native tree in Madagascar, but they are also found in mainland Africa, Southwest Asia and even in northern Australia. This tree is also sometimes known as the 'Upside Down tree' because of its look. During the dry season the tree will lose all the leaves and the care branches resemble the roots of a tree. The shape of the baobab tree is quite unique as you can identify it with a huge trunk. Growing straight up before it branches out with leaves on the top. Next to the baobab tree is the Great Zimbabwe Ruins monument. The ruins are located in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe, near lake Mutirikwi. It is believed that the ruins was constructed in the 9th century and was once the capital of a kingdom. This site is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

 

Baobab tree, the Great Zimbabwe Ruins monument

Dimensions - 158.5mm x 66mm

 

 Replacement prefix ZZ

Baobab tree, the Great Zimbabwe Ruins monument