Yemen AH 1378 riyal

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Sincona Auction 1, lot 3053
Stack's Bowers 2021 ANA sale, lot 41657
photo courtesy Stack's Bowers LLC

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 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/20, 1/40, and 1/80.

Shown is a gold ahmadi riyal, struck in AH 1377. 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. It was equal to four British sovereigns. The same dies of the silver 1 riyal of this time period were used to strike these coins. This example was lot 3053 in Sincona Auction 1 (June 2011) where it sold for $5,059. The catalog description[1] reads: "Ahmad 1948-1962. Ahmadi Riyal 1958. Uncirculated." The second specimen was lot 41657 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $6,600. The catalog description[2] noted, "YEMEN. Gold Riyal, AH 1378 (1958). PCGS MS-63 Gold Shield. Variety without incuse Arabic number. Sparkling quality with few marks on either side and underlying evidence of what appears to be a flip-over double strike error that resulted from the coin being struck once and then a second time after the planchet had flipped over. RARE and highly desirable, this is only the second example seen by PCGS."

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 32.486 g (actual weight can vary), 0.900 fine gold, 40 mm diameter; the first specimen 34.63 g.

Catalog reference: Fr-8; KM-YG17.2.

Source:

  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
  • Pridmore, Fred. "The Modern Coins of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of the Yemen". Seaby's Coin and Medal Bulletin, May 1962. pp 231-340.
  • [1]SINCONA AG (Swiss International Coin Auction Co.), Munzen, Medaillen & Banknoten Auktion 1, Zürich, 2011.
  • [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The August 2021 ANA sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.

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