Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2017) 100-riyal note (B139b) confirmed
22 03, 2019 06:49 Category: Middle East
Like B139a, but new date (١٤٣٨ (AH1438)/2017) and new signatures (Ahmed Abdulkarim Alkholifey and Mohammed Al-Jadaan).
Courtesy of Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2017) 500-riyal note (B140b) confirmed
27 07, 2018 10:05 Category: Middle East
Like B140a, but new date (١٤٣٨/2017) and new signature. Prefix A.
Courtesy of Sabine Leuenberger (
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2016) 1-riyal note (B130d) confirmed
06 03, 2018 06:51 Category: Middle East
Like B130c, but new date (١٤٣٨/2016) and new signatures. Prefix 1528 - 1562.
Courtesy of Sejin Ahn (http://www.facebook.com/myriakorea).
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2017) 5-riyal note (B136b) confirmed
01 02, 2018 08:52 Category: Middle East
Like B136a, but new date (١٤٣٨/2017) and new signatures. Prefix A.
Courtesy of Liza Zapata (Numisbing).
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2017) 50-riyal note (B138b) confirmed
11 12, 2017 10:20 Category: Middle East
Like B138a, but new date (١٤٣٨/2017) and new signatures. Prefix A.
Courtesy of Rahiz Z. Hassan.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2017) 10-riyal note (B137b) confirmed
06 12, 2017 12:21 Category: Middle East
Like B137a, but new date (١٤٣٨/2017) and new signatures. Prefix A.
Courtesy of Claudio Marana.
Saudi Arabia new notes (B136 - B140) unveiled for 26.12.2016 introduction
13 12, 2016 09:43 Category: Middle East
These notes are slated for introduction on 26 December 2016.
Saudi note issuer changes name to Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority
09 12, 2016 08:33 Category: Middle East
According to a press release dated 4 December 2016, "the name of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency has been changed to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, with effect from the date of this announcement. The acronym SAMA remains unchanged. All existing agreements, obligations and contracts under the previous name of SAMA will continue to remain in force."
Furthermore, according to an article on Albawba.com dated 8 December 2016, SAMA plans to unveil the designs of a new banknote family on Tuesday 13 December 2016.
Courtesy of Morad H. Kamvar and Cleo Phas.
Furthermore, according to an article on Albawba.com dated 8 December 2016, SAMA plans to unveil the designs of a new banknote family on Tuesday 13 December 2016.
Courtesy of Morad H. Kamvar and Cleo Phas.
Saudi Arabia announces new finance minister
02 11, 2016 16:02 Category: Middle East
According to a press release dated 2 November 2016, Saudi Arabia has appointed Mohammed Al-Jadaan as the new finance minister, replacing Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf, who served in that position from 30 October 1996. New signature varieties may be forthcoming.
Courtesy of Ghassan Samman.
Courtesy of Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia reportedly to replace 1-riyal note (B130) with 2-riyal coin
02 06, 2016 07:59 Category: Middle East
According to an ArabNews article dated 1 June 2016, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency plans to replace the 1-riyal note (B130) with a 2-riyal coin.
Courtesy of Brian Lema.
Courtesy of Brian Lema.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2012) 100-riyal note (B134c) confirmed
29 12, 2015 08:00 Category: Middle East
Like B134b, but new date (١٤٣٣/2012) and new signature.
Courtesy of Wally Myers.
Hedjaz chapter of The Banknote Book is now available
22 10, 2015 13:47 Category: The Banknote Book | Middle East
The Hedjaz chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale and as a free download to subscribers.
This 5-page catalog covers the unissued notes of The Arabian National Bank of Hedjaz from 1925. Published 23 October 2015.
Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:
- Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
- Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
- Specific identification of all vignette elements
- Security features described in full
- Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
- Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
- Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
- Date reproduced exactly as on note
- Precise date of introduction noted when known
- Replacement note information
- Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
- Background information for historical and cultural context
- Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
- Bibliographic sources listed for further research
Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the term of your subscription.
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If you would like to receive email notifications whenever a new chapter of The Banknote Book is published, please join the email list by clicking the button below.
Saudi Arabia new notes and coins reportedly planned
12 07, 2015 11:59 Category: Middle East
According to a Saudi Press Agency posting, Dr. Fahd Bin Abdullah Almobarak, governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, briefed King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on new banknote and coin designs. It is unclear when the new designs will be introduced into circulation.
Couresty of Raihan Ahmed.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2012) 5-riyal note (B131c) confirmed
24 06, 2013 19:40 Category: Middle East
Like B131b, but new date (١٤٣٣/2012) and signatures (Fahad Al-Mubarak and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2012) 1-riyal note (B130c) confirmed
21 05, 2013 10:05 Category: Middle East
Like B130b, but new date (١٤٣٣/2012) and signature (Fahad Al-Mubarak and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Takis Kouvatseas.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2012) 500-riyal note (B135c) confirmed
20 09, 2012 08:22 Category: Middle East
Like B135b, but new date (١٤٣٣/2012) and new signatures (Fahad Al-Mubarak and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2012) 50-riyal note (B133c) confirmed
17 09, 2012 09:34 Category: Middle East
Like B133b, but new date (١٤٣٣/2012) and new signatures (Fahad Al-Mubarak and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Steve Hearon.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2009) 10-riyal note (B132b) confirmed
22 08, 2012 06:48 Category: Middle East
Like B132a, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and new signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Newcastle Coins.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2012) 10-riyal note (B132c) confirmed
24 07, 2012 15:10 Category: Middle East
Like B132b, but new date (١٤٣٣/2012) and new signatures (Fahad Al-Mubarak and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Claudio Marana and Yousef Jazzar.
Saudi Arabia names new governor of SAMA
14 12, 2011 19:44 Category: Middle East
According to a post on the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council dated 13 December 2011, King Abdullah appointed Dr. Fahad Al-Mubarak as governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, taking over from Muhammad Al-Jaser. As the governor’s signature appears on SAMA banknotes, it’s likely that this move may mean that new signature varieties can be expected eventually.
Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia chapter of The Banknote Book is now available
17 06, 2011 17:04 Category: The Banknote Book | Middle East
The Saudi Arabia chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale and as a free download to subscribers.
This 11-page catalog covers notes issued by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency from 1953 to present. Revised 29 December 2015.
Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:
- Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
- Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
- Specific identification of all vignette elements
- Security features described in full
- Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
- Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
- Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
- Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
- Date reproduced exactly as on note
- Precise date of introduction noted when known
- Replacement note information
- Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
- Background information for historical and cultural context
- Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
- Bibliographic sources listed for further research
Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the term of your subscription.
Sign up for Email Notifications
If you would like to receive email notifications whenever a new chapter of The Banknote Book is published, please join the email list.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2009) 1-riyal note (B130b) confirmed
08 05, 2011 14:36 Category: Middle East
Like B130a, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and new signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2009) 5-riyal note (B131b) confirmed
18 12, 2010 08:48 Category: Middle East
Like B131a, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and new signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2009) 100-riyal note (B134b) confirmed
13 09, 2010 08:28 Category: Middle East
Like B134a, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2009) 500-riyal note (B135b) confirmed
04 09, 2010 16:44 Category: Middle East
Like B135a, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).
Courtesy of Ghassan Samman.
Saudi Arabia new sig/date (2009) 50-riyal note (B133b) confirmed
18 10, 2010 20:34 Category: Middle East
Like B133a, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and new Governor signature (Muhammad Al-Jaser). Also, the denomination expressed in Arabic in the bars at left and right edge of the front of the note has been slightly modified. In the first issue of this note, the trailing zero was so small that it blended in with the tiny boxes in the background (above, left), but the new variety has a larger zero which stands out better (above, right).
Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.
Gulf Cooperation Council agrees to single currency
17 12, 2009 08:22 Category: Middle East
According to a Gulf News article dated 16 December 2009, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders concluded their annual two-day summit with an agreement to form a monetary union, paving the way for a single currency for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia; Oman and the United Arab Emirates opted out. A monetary council is to be established in early 2010, and will transition into a central bank, which will eventually issue a single currency, though no timeline was announced.
Courtesy of Amirali Somji.
Courtesy of Amirali Somji.
Six Arab states plan to issue unified currency in 2010
24 10, 2006 10:34 Category: Middle East
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), consisting of six Arab states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates — plans to issue a unified currency in 2010.
Saudi Arabia unveils new family of notes
21 05, 2007 16:45 Category: Middle East
With today’s release of the SAR 50 and 100, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency has begun circulating its 5th Issue of notes. The new SAR 5 and 10 will appear at the beginning of July, followed by the SAR 500 in September, and ending with the SAR 1 in December.
B130 (P31): 1 riyal (US$0.25)
Light green. Front: Arabic text; front of first Islamic dinar coin; King Abdullah. Back: English text; SAMA headquarters building; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 1. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 1, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 133 x 63 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 018 - 475. Intro: 31.12.2007.
B131 (P32): 5 riyals (US$1.35)
Violet. Front: Arabic text; Ras Tanorah oil refinery; King Abdullah. Back: English text; Jubayl Port in eastern region; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 5. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 5, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 145 x 66 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 007 - 129. Intro: 16.07.2007.
B132 (P33): 10 riyals (US$2.65)
Brown. Front: Arabic text; King Abdulaziz’s palace in Almoraba area; King Abdullah. Back: English text; King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh with palm trees; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 10. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 10, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 150 x 68 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 016 - 142. Intro: 16.07.2007.
B133 (P34): 50 riyals (US$13)
Dark green. Front: Arabic text; Al Sakhra Dome mosque; King Abdullah. Back: English text; Al Aqsa mosque in Al Quds Al Shareef (Jerusalem); national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 50 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 50, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 155 x 70 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 008 - 079. Intro: 21.05.2007.
B134 (P35): 100 riyals (US$27)
Red. Front: Arabic text; green dome and minaret of Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) in Medina; King Abdullah. Back: English text; Al-Masjid al-Nabawi; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 100 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 100, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 160 x 72 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 008 - 041. Intro: 21.05.2007.
B135 (P36): 500 riyals (US$133)
Blue. Front: Arabic text; Ka’aba (cube); King Abdul Aziz. Back: English text; Ka’aba (cube) in the courtyard of the Holy Mosque in Mecca; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 500 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdul Aziz, electrotype 500, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 166 x 74 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 004 - 097. Intro: 17.09.2007.
Courtesy of Ghassan Samman and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.
B130 (P31): 1 riyal (US$0.25)
Light green. Front: Arabic text; front of first Islamic dinar coin; King Abdullah. Back: English text; SAMA headquarters building; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 1. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 1, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 133 x 63 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 018 - 475. Intro: 31.12.2007.
B131 (P32): 5 riyals (US$1.35)
Violet. Front: Arabic text; Ras Tanorah oil refinery; King Abdullah. Back: English text; Jubayl Port in eastern region; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 5. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 5, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 145 x 66 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 007 - 129. Intro: 16.07.2007.
B132 (P33): 10 riyals (US$2.65)
Brown. Front: Arabic text; King Abdulaziz’s palace in Almoraba area; King Abdullah. Back: English text; King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh with palm trees; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 10. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 10, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 150 x 68 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 016 - 142. Intro: 16.07.2007.
B133 (P34): 50 riyals (US$13)
Dark green. Front: Arabic text; Al Sakhra Dome mosque; King Abdullah. Back: English text; Al Aqsa mosque in Al Quds Al Shareef (Jerusalem); national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 50 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 50, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 155 x 70 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 008 - 079. Intro: 21.05.2007.
B134 (P35): 100 riyals (US$27)
Red. Front: Arabic text; green dome and minaret of Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) in Medina; King Abdullah. Back: English text; Al-Masjid al-Nabawi; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 100 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 100, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 160 x 72 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 008 - 041. Intro: 21.05.2007.
B135 (P36): 500 riyals (US$133)
Blue. Front: Arabic text; Ka’aba (cube); King Abdul Aziz. Back: English text; Ka’aba (cube) in the courtyard of the Holy Mosque in Mecca; national emblem (two crossed swords with palm tree). Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 500 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdul Aziz, electrotype 500, and Cornerstones. Printer: (Thomas De La Rue). 166 x 74 mm. a. ١٤٢٨ (AH1428)/2007. Sig. 8. Prefix 004 - 097. Intro: 17.09.2007.
Courtesy of Ghassan Samman and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.
