Kuwait Reference Page | Serial Number Prefixes
Kuwait uses two formats of serial number prefixes, with the first format being used for the first two issues and the second format being used by subsequent issues.
The only replacement notes recorded so far for Kuwait are a pair of 10-dinar notes (No.15a) with sig.2 and sig.3. They both have the serial number prefix ٩٩/جـهـ. It is suspected that ٩٩ is the number assigned to the serial number prefix of all replacement notes.
The first format is a fractional serial number prefix with the standard 'Series letter' being used. All notes of the first series have a prefix of the letter ا over a number, with the number incrementing with each cycle. The second series of notes uses the letter ب, with all denominations starting with the prefix ١/ا. The sequence used for each series is shown in the chart below.
| Series | Prefix sequence |
|---|---|
| First Series | ٤/ا ,٣/ا ,٢/ا ,١/ا, et cetera |
| Second Series | ٤/ب ,٣/ب ,٢/ب ,١/ب, et cetera |
The second format is a fractional prefix using the standard 'Series and denomination letters'. There are two letters over a number, with the number incrementing as the sequence continues. The right-hand letter is the letter that indicates the series. This letter increments in each series, with the letters for each series being:
| Series | Letter | |
|---|---|---|
| Third Series | جـ | The initial form of ج. |
| Fourth Series | د | |
| Fifth Series | هـ |
The left-hand letter identifies the denomination and this letter remains static. The letters assigned to each denomination are:
| Denomination | Letter |
| ¼ Dinar | ا |
| ½ Dinar | ب |
| 1 Dinar | جـ |
| 5 Dinars | د |
| 10 Dinars | هـ |
| 20 Dinars | و |
In the fifth series of bank ntoes issued by Kuwait, one of the serial numbers is printed in Latin letters and western numerals. Each Latin letter used in the serial number prefix corresponds the letter in the numeric sequence of the alphabet. For example, هـ is the fifth letter in the numeric sequence of the Arabic alphabet, so where a corresponding Latin letter is required, the letter 'E' is used, as it is the fifth letter in the English alphabet.