Yemen AH 1375 1/2 riyal Fr-9
This specimen was lot 3570 in Sincona sale 43 (Zürich, October 2017), where it sold for 1,600 CHF (about US$1,909 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"YEMEN, Ahmad 1948-1962 Gold 1/2 Riyal (2 1/2 Lira - 2 Sovereigns) (13)75 H. (1956). Vorzüglich-FDC. Etwas fleckig. NGC AU58. (kingdom of Yemen, Ahmad, 1948-62, gold half rial of AH 1375, Extremely fine-uncirculated. Some spots.)"
The Mutawakkilite Kingdom began forming in 1890 AD, but it was not until 1911 that the local ruler (Yahya bin Muhammad, who came to power in AH 1322 (1904 AD) was recognized as both the secular and religious head by the occupying (but weakening) Ottoman forces. In 1919 AD, the Ottomans officially abandoned any attempt at a military or political presence in Yemen. The first local coinage to recognize independent Yemeni rule was struck in AH 1342 (1924 AD).
The new coinage was based on the standard of the Maria Teresa thaler, import of which was banned under the Ottomans, who wished to force Turkish coinage on the population. Thus the thaler was equal to one riyal, with fractions of half, quarter, 1/8, 1/10, 1/20, 1/40, and 1/80. Shown is a gold ahmadi half riyal, struck in AH 1380. It honors the ruler al-Nasir Ahmad bin Yahya, who took power in AH 1367/1948 AD after his father and previous ruler Yahya bin Muhammad died in a coup attempt. The same dies of the contemporary silver half riyal were used to strike these coins. The known dates include AH 1369-1377.
Recorded mintage: unknown but few.
Specification: 15.57-17.99 g, gold.
Catalog reference: KM YG16.1, Fr-9.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona sale 43, Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
Link to:
- Yemen AH 1375 riyal silver
- Yemen AH 1379 1/2 riyal silver
- Yemen AH 1380 1/2 riyal Fr-9 gold
- Coins and currency dated 1955
- return to coins of Yemen