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Books are listed according to the countries, as follows:
Bahrain |
Bangladesh |
Egypt |
Gulf Rupees |
Iraq |
Jordan |
Kuwait |
Libya |
Oman |
Pakistan |
Palestine
Qatar |
Qatar & Dubai |
Saudi Arabia |
Sudan |
Syria |
UAE |
Yemen |
South Yemen
History of Currency in the State of Bahrain by Robert E. Darley-Doran and the Bahrain Monetary Agency. Published by 'The Bahrain Monetary Agency' (1997 / 1417 H). Distributed by Spink & Son Limited, 5 King James's, London SW1Y 6QS.
A superlatively produced book on the history of the currency of Bahrain. The banknotes are given very good treatment, but no mention is made of varieties and it is not aimed specifically at collectors. Partly authored by Darley-Doran who wrote the history of currency in Oman (see below).
The Bank Notes of Bahrain An article by Peter Symes (available through the link on the web site of P.J.Symes) detailing the history of banknotes issued by Bahrain.
Paper Money of Bangladesh by Mohammed Jahirul Islam. Published by the Bangladesh Institute of Philatelic Studies (2003).
This is the first catalogue devoted specifically to paper money issued in Bangladesh. It is in full colour, softbound and 72 pages in length. It is comprehensive in its coverage, identifying all varieties of notes by signature, security thread and printing plates. It is very well researched and it is well worth the investment if you are interested in the banknotes of Bangladesh. The book is available from the author at around US$15.00 (plus postage).
National Bank of Egypt 1898-1948 Published for the Bank's jubilee.
Al-Bank al-Ahli al-Misri (National Bank of Egypt) 1898-1998 Maged M. Farag, Agouza, Cairo, Egypt: Max Group, 1998. This book, mostly in English, is a beautiful, incredible, 1000-limited edition, author-signed and numbered history of the NBE and its banknotes. It is several hundred pages in length, of very high-quality paper, bound in leather, with dozens of photos, illustrations and other inserts. The photos are not printed on the pages but are rather mounted reprints of the original photographs! In terms of the banknotes themselves, the last 25-30 pages includes enlarged, full-color glossy photo inserts of every Egyptian banknote issued, including detailed descriptions of the vignettes and dates of issue. A real work of art in its own right.
The Egyptian Banknote -- Encyclopedia & Catalogue of Egyptian Money Eng. Magdy Hanafy, with English version by Dr. Ali Mehilba, Cairo, Egypt: 2004. Published by the author, this book contains 350 pages of fine detail on the banknotes issued in Egypt. The book has colour photographs of all banknotes issued by the central banks of Egypt, with descriptions and commentary in Arabic and English. The level of detail is superb. Signature varieties, dates, prefixes, descriptions, replacement notes and number of notes issued are all included. There is nothing left to the imagination! It is destined to be the standard work for Egyptian notes for a long, long time. The only disappointment awaiting the dedicated Egyptian collector is that it does not cover the low denomination notes issued by the Government of Egypt (but perhaps another volume is in the making). The book can be obtained from Dr. Ali Mehilba. (Cost is approximately $55.00, but this should be confirmed.)
Gulf Rupees - A History by Peter Symes. An article available on this web site.
Iraq Currency - Development
Stages 1997 Published by the Central Bank of
Iraq (1997).
Written in English and Arabic, this book gives a history of
currency in modern Iraq. All bank notes issued up to 1997 are
included, although no varieties are described and the
illustrations of the notes are not always in the right place. The
English translation is not particularly well done.
The Currency Board System in Iraq 1932-1949 by Basil Al-Bustany, published by the Research and Information Centre, Baghdad, 1984.
The Bank Notes of the Iraq Currency Board An article by Peter Symes, Murray Hanewich and Layth al-Muderis, available on the web site of P.J.Symes through the link.
Qissat al-'Umla al-Kuwaitiyya (The Story of Kuwaiti Currency) Salim Zibal, Mu'asassat dhat as-Silaasil li-Tabaa'a wal-Nashr, al-Kuwait, 1984. A 50-page booklet, in both Arabic and English editions, that recounts the history of the use of currency in the Persian Gulf in general and Kuwait in particular. Although it is weighted towards coins, and there are no detailed descriptions of the notes, it is nonetheless an attractively illustrated work; nice pictures of coins, notes - including Gulf Rupees - and pictures of Bank of Kuwait employees in action counting notes.
The Banknotes of Kuwait An article by Peter Symes (available through this link) on web site of P.J.Symes, detailing the history the banknotes issued in Kuwait.
History of Currency in the Sultanate of Oman by Robert E. Darley-Doran. Published by the Central Bank of Oman. Distributed by Spink & Son Limited, 5 King James's, London SW1Y 6QS.
A top quality book on the history of the currency of Oman. It has a good description of the banknotes and is profusely illustrated. It has a price to match the quality of the book. (It is suspected the author has a stronger knowledge of coins than banknotes, as there are a couple of mistakes in describing the Gulf Rupees that circulated in Oman. Maybe there are other errors?)
The Note Issues of the Sultanate of Oman An article by Peter Symes (available through this link) on web site of P.J.Symes, detailing the history the banknotes issued in Oman.
The Libyan Currency Commission An article by Peter Symes (available through the link on web site of P.J.Symes) detailing the history the two banknote issues of the Libyan Currency Commission.
Bank Notes Coins Catalogue of Pakistan -- Since 1948 by Rafiq Kasbati and Yahya J. Qureshi. Published by the authors.
The principal objective of this catalogue is to provide a reference for the banknotes of Pakistan to collectors within Pakistan. Therefore the catalogue is a cost-effective production made affordable to collectors within Pakistan. A beneficial outcome of this objective is that collectors outside Pakistan now have a comprehensive catalogue by which they can establish the quality of their own collections.
For each type of banknote recorded, a quality black and white illustration is provided. Below each illustration is a chart that indicates a Sequence Number (identifying each variety), a Type number, the Date of Issue, the Signature or Variety feature, and a cost for the note in ‘Good’, ‘Fine’ and ‘Uncirculated’ grades. The value of each note is given in Pakistani rupees, again underlying the fact that this catalogue was prepared for the local market. The catalogue is full of fine detail and is recommended for collectors of the banknotes of Pakistan. The book costs US$5.00 plus postage and is available from the authors.
The Bank Notes of Pakistan 1947 to 1972 An article by Peter Symes (available through the link on web site of P.J.Symes) detailing the history of banknotes issued in Pakistan from independence to the civil war.
The Bank Notes of Pakistan 1972 to 2000 An article by Peter Symes (available through the link on web site of P.J.Symes) detailing the history of banknotes issued in Pakistan from the civil war to 2000.
The Haj Notes of Pakistan An article by Peter Symes (on the web site of P.J.Symes), giving the history and details of the notes issued by Pakistan for use by Haj Pilgrims.
The Pakistan Overprints of Bangladesh An article by Peter Symes (on the web site of P.J.Symes), which discusses the notes of the State Bank of Pakistan that were overstamped in Bengali and English during the Bangladesh War of Liveration.
The Coins and Banknotes of Palestine Under the British Mandate, 1927-1947 by Howard M. Berlin. Published by McFarland & Company. Inc. Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640, USA This book can also be ordered from the author at at his web-page.
An excellent work on the coins and banknotes of Palestine. Almost all information required by the enthusiast is covered in this work, which is illustrated in black and white throughout. A colour section in the middle of the book has all the banknotes illustrated in all their glory. It is unlikely that the subject will be covered better than it is in this work. Highly recommended for the collector and historian alike.
Currency Notes of the Palestne Currency Board by Raphael Dabbah, published by the author. Interest in the notes issued by the Palestine Currency Board has been strong for many years. Numerous articles have been written on the currency so, with the publication of Currency Notes of the Palestine Currency Board by Raphael Dabbah, what can be found that has not already been discussed and dissected in the previous publications? The answer, quite simply, is that the new publication includes fresh information from original research.
The first observation to make of Raphael Dabbah’s work is that the volume is large, extremely well presented, and heavy! Knowing that the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money lists only six type notes issued by the Palestine Currency Board, it is initially a puzzle as to how a book can be written on the Board and its note issues that contains over 420 pages. The primary reason for the number of pages is that many notes are displayed at their full size and that notes of each date variety and notes with each serial number prefix are all reproduced in reduced format. In addition, trial printings, proofs, and counterfeits find their way into the history of the notes.
The coffee-table style of the book, with full colour reproductions of the notes, makes it very attractive and easy to read. However, underlying the superb presentation is a scholarly and well-researched account of the notes issued by the Currency Board. Drawing on existing knowledge and currency notes held in various collections, Raphael Dabbah has complemented this body of knowledge with original research into numerous archives held in Israel and Great Britain. The result is a definitive work on the issues of the Palestine Currency Board.
Chapters in the book cover: the background of currency in Palestine prior to the formation of the Currency Board; proposals for the introduction of currency to Palestine; the introduction of the new currency; the description of the notes; descriptions of specimen notes and presentation notes; counterfeit notes; new designs and colour trials; unissued emergency notes; anecdotes relating to the currency notes; and the dismantling of the Currency Board. Details within the book include numbers of notes issued, descriptions of the images on the notes, short biographies of the signatories, images of original artwork, and the history behind the notes.
Drawing extensively from archival sources, the story of the Palestine Currency Board and its note issues is woven amongst the abundant illustrations and data spread throughout the book. Most collectors will never put together a collection of notes issued by the Palestine Currency Board and most of us will rarely come across more than one or two of these notes. However, captured within this book is everything that you will want to know about the currency notes (except their market value). In addition to the comprehensive coverage of the notes, this work stands as a valuable history to the machinations of a currency board, an instrument used widely by the British to issue currency throughout many of its colonial and mandated possessions.
The Bank Notes of the Qatar & Dubai Currency Board by Peter Symes. An article available on this web site.
The Bank Notes Qatar An article by Peter Symes (available on the web site of P.J.Symes through the link) detailing the issue of banknotes in Qatar.
Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency - SAMA's Issues of Saudi Currency and Acquisitions of
Ancient and Islamic Coins. Published by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.
This booklet, produced by SAMA, is predominantly in Arabic, although it does have a large section in English. It has photographs of most of the notes issued by SAMA and descriptions of the notes (in Arabic only).
Saudi Arabia - The Making of a Financial Giant by Arthur Young. Published by New York University Press.
This book is written by the man who set up the Saudi Arabian
Monetary Agency and gives a fine insight into the the early years of SAMA.
Sudan's First Bank Notes An article by Peter Symes (available through this link) on the web site of P.J.Symes, detailing the history of the note issues of the Sudan Currency Board and the abortive issue by the Government.
Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money by Adnan Djaroueh. It is very difficult to commence a review of the Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money (authored by Adnan Djaroueh and published by Dar al Mourad, Beirut) without reaching for superlatives. The book is in a large format (327 x 275 mm) comprising over 594 pages in full colour. It’s weight is significant. Exemplary design and magnificent images of banknotes, many of which the average collector will never see, let alone own, are rendered in faithful hues so familiar with French-manufactured notes.
The book has some text in English, but it is predominantly in Arabic. The objective of Adnan Djaroueh, in producing his book, is to document the history of bank note issues for the people of his own country, which is why it is written in Arabic. However, collectors who cannot read Arabic need not despair for long. In the prelude to his book, Adnan Djaroueh has expressed a desire that his work will one day be issued in English and advice from the author is that this process is already underway.
The book commences with forewords by several luminaries of the banknote world, after which is a prelude, which explains why the author undertook his ambitious project. (The prelude is one section that is reproduced in English.) This is followed by an introduction of the modern history of currency within Syria. Then follows three chapters.
Chapter I looks at proofs, specimens, and the credibility of paper money, continuing with the chronology of issue, a table of signatures and the various laws and decrees issued concerning Syrian currency. Of these sections, for the non-Arabic reader, the illustrated proofs and specimens are interesting, but the table of signatures is invaluable. The most tantalizing section of this chapter is that which covers the laws and decrees. This section describes the reasons for the various overprinted marks on the early issues, as well as covering all important aspects of the note issues. For non-Arabic readers, the important information that is set before them, but which remains unavailable, is frustrating.
Chapter II is a listing of all notes issued in Syria from 1919 to 1998. The front and back of each note (with a couple of exceptions) are displayed in full colour and descriptions identify: the denomination of the note, the issuing authority, the place and date of issue, the signatories, the printer, the number issued (where known), the note’s dimensions, the colours on the note, a description of the front of the note, a description of the back of the note, and remarks on the note. Everything that a collector or enthusiast would like to know about each note is covered—albeit in Arabic only.
Chapter III covers the watermarks used on Syrian notes, the security features of the later issues, an index to the notes (listed according to the year of issue), a table of banknotes sorted by denomination and year of issue, and an index of historical descriptions. Of these sections, the non-Arabic reader will find the ‘Index of Issued Paper Money’ and the ‘Table of Issued Paper Money’ the most useful. The author has consciously prepared these tables with the non-Arabic reader in mind and with these summaries in Arabic and English, a collector can identify any note they hold by reference to the denomination and the year of issue within the tables.
While the presentation of the book is stunning, with quality paper, grand illustrations and high quality printing, one must always consider the value of the content. The only significant works covering Syrian paper money prior to the publication of this work have been the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money and Les Billets du Maghreb et du Levant by Muszynski and Kolsky. The first work has been built up over many years by contributions from collectors and the latter work has been the result of a specialist study that principally covers issues of the French mandate. (In both instances, the banknotes of Syria are not the principal subject of the publications.) So, this new study offers a chance for detailed analysis, taking into account work undertaken by others. However, the Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money is more than a presentation of previously known facts. Specific research and access to local Syrian and internationally available documents has allowed the author to prepare his publication from primary sources, rather than relying on anecdotal histories and observations of others. The historical account of paper money issued in Syria and the presentation of the laws and decrees concerning the paper money represent a significant body of work in itself (albeit presented in Arabic only). But what of the notes themselves?
Aside from specimens and proofs, the author identifies 200 notes issued from 1919 to 1998. It is worth pointing out that the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money lists 185 types and varieties for Syria through Volumes II and III of the omnibus work. In a comparison of the entries, the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money lists 11 notes that are not in the Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money and the Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money lists 25 notes that are not listed in the two volumes of the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money. Therefore the new work brings an opportunity for collectors of Syrian notes to rationalize their ambitions for their collection, as some of the notes that they may previously have thought were absent from their collection, may in fact not exist. On the other hand, Adnan Djaroueh’s study identifies notes of which many collectors may have been unaware. (Many of the variations between the two works concern the various overprinted notes, but this is not exclusively the area of variation.) Is it possible that the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money has valid entries that the Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money does not list? To a certain extent this is up to collectors to prove this to themselves. However, the attention to detail in much of this new work, especially in cross-referencing the note issues to the various contemporary decrees, leads one to suspect that this fresh study is reliably definitive. Certainly, the author is sure that his study of all available documentation proves the note issues as he presents them and he refutes the existence of some notes reported in other publications.
The notes in the Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money are listed in chronological order and not by type and variety. So, for example, the 500-lira (pound) note listed in the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money as numbers ‘105 a to f’ are identified in the Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money as numbers 163, 176, 183, 184, 190 and 195. While initially confusing, the two summary tables at the end of the book allow readers to see all entries by chronological order or by order of denomination, so it is easy to identify all issues reasonably quickly and a cross reference to the page on which each note is illustrated is available in the ‘Index of Issued Paper Money’.
In no part of the book is there a suggestion as to the of the rarity of each note and no attempt has been made to give values to the notes. This is obviously intentional and, for a book designed principally as a reference work rather than a catalogue, it is quite understandable.
The Encyclopedia of Syrian Paper Money is written by Adnan Djaroueh, a Syrian of Aleppo. Born in 1945, he studied at the Marist Brothers College in Aleppo and Graduated from the University of Damascus with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. His interest in the paper money of Syria led to an eight-year period of research and study, which has culminated in his landmark publication. For the general collector of Syrian banknotes, it may be difficult to acquire this study, as it is not available for purchase. The author is donating his work to various libraries and institutions throughout the world, and limited copies are available to suitable applicants through the web site www.syrianpapermoney.com or by direct contact with the author.
For those collectors and enthusiasts lucky enough to see an example of this work, there will be real satisfaction. The fine colour illustrations, the level of detail and the history of the note issues can be found in no other publication. However, the ability to read Arabic remains a pre-requisite to acquiring the knowledge held within this study, although it not a pre-requisite to enjoying the publication. Ultimately, Adnan Djaroueh’s work will stand the test of time as a pioneer work and a significant contribution to the cultural heritage of Syria, as well as a source of pleasure to everyone interested in paper money.
The Bank Notes of the United Arab Emirates An article by Peter Symes (available through this link) on the web site of P.J.Symes, documenting the history of banknotes issued in the UAE.
The
Bank Notes of Yemen by Peter Symes, Murray
Hanewich and Keith Street (1997). Published by the authors,
distributed by p j
symes.
The definitive book on banknotes issued in Yemen. It is a book
researched by collectors and written for collectors.
The
Bank Notes of Yemen by Peter Symes, Murray
Hanewich and Keith Street (1997). Published by the authors,
distributed by p j
symes.
The definitive book on banknotes issued in Yemen. It is a book
researched by collectors and written for collectors.