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1 Dirham 1973, United Arab Emirates

in Krause book Number: 1
Years of issue: 20.05.1973
Edition: 20 028 704
Signatures: Chairman of the Currency Board (رئيس مجلس النقد): Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Serie: 1973 Issue
Specimen of: 1973
Material: Cotton fiber
Size (mm): 140 x 60
Printer: TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London

* All pictures marked magnify are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.

** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.

1 Dirham 1973

Description

Watermark:

1 Dirham 1973The Arabian or Arab horse (Arabic: الحصان العربي ‎ [ħisˤaːn ʕarabiː], is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses in the Middle East that resemble modern Arabians dating back 4,500 years. Throughout history, Arabian horses have spread around the world by both war and trade, used to improve other breeds by adding speed, refinement, endurance, and strong bone. Today, Arabian bloodlines are found in almost every modern breed of riding horse.

Avers:

1 Dirham 1973

The first banknotes issued by the United Arab Emirates Currency Board were released on 20 May 1973. The notes were scheduled to be introduced on 19 May 1973 but the banks remained closed on that day, presumably to prepare for the introduction of the new currency. As the Currency Board was not yet operating, the responsibility for issuing the new currency was passed to the Abu Dhabi National Bank.

Printed by the British security printers "Thomas De La Rue and Company", the first banknotes issued by the United Arab Emirates Currency Board contained denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 dirhams. The new notes replaced the riyals of the Qatar and Dubai Currency Board at par, while the new dirham was equivalent to 0.1 Bahraini dinars.

Following the introduction of the new currency in 1973, the dinars of Bahrain and the riyals of the Qatar & Dubai Currency Board continued to circulate in the United Arab Emirates for several months. The riyal of the Qatar & Dubai Currency Board subsequently lost its legal tender status on 18 August 1973 and the Bahraini dinar similarly ceased to hold its legal tender status on 18 November 1973. However, these notes were accepted for exchange by the banks until 30 November 1973.

On 22 December 1975, two and a half years after the notes had been introduced, the Currency Board announced that, due to excessive wear, no further supplies of the 1-dirham notes would be made available to the retail banks from 3 January 1976. At the same time they announced that a 1000-dirham note would be introduced, also on 3 January 1976.

All notes of the first issue carry a common front, differing only in colour, size, and representation of the specific denomination. On the front are geometric patterns with a pale circular area to the right, which holds the watermark of a horse’s head, and a circular vignette to the left.

The vignette contains an outline of the coast of the United Arab Emirates, over which is written in Arabic "United Arab Emirates". Above the outline of the coast is a dhow and below are four camels and a camel driver. To the left of the vignette is a palm tree, to the right is an oil derrick and below is a string of pearls. (www.pjsymes.com.au)

Denomination in numerals are in all corners. In center in words.

Revers:

1 Dirham 1973

The back of each note carries an illustration of a building or scene from one of the emirates. There are seven emirates but only six notes, with Ras al Kamiah being the only emirate not represented. This is possibly due to it being the last emirate to join the federation and it is probable that the design of the notes was approved prior to Ras al Khamiah joining the union.

1 Dirham 1973Centered is the Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn Sharjah) is a double story traditional rock, coral and adobe fortification in the center of the city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The fort was originally constructed in 1820 by the then Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi.

1 Dirham 1973It was partially demolished in late 1969/early 1970, the one remaining tower (called "kubs", that to the far right of the fort as you stand at the entrance) lending its name to the square in which it sits, "Al Burj", Arabic for "tower".

The fort has been restored by the current Ruler as part of a comprehensive programm of ongoing restoration of the traditional core of the old port city of Sharjah under the name "Heart of Sharjah". The restoration of Sharjah Fort commenced in January 1996 and was completed in April 1997.

History:

Early British records of 1830 note Sharjah's fort located "a little inland, mounting six pieces of cannon, together with some detached towers. In case of alarm from an enemy, it is stockaded round with date trees and wood sufficient for repelling the attack of Arabs although of little service against regular troops."

The demolition of the fort took place in January 1970, when Sheikh Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi wished to remove all trace of Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi, the previous Ruler. Told of the demolition while studying in Cairo, the current Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi rushed home in an attempt to halt the move. Arriving too late to save most of the fort, he nevertheless persuaded his brother to cease the demolition. All that remained was a single tower, the "Burj".

Taking notes of the line of the remaining foundation and saving various fittings from the demolition site, Sheikh Sultan was able to restore the fort almost 20 years later with the original doors and windows saved from the demolished fort.

A tragic irony was that Saqr bin Sultan - the man whose memory the demolition of the fort was intended to erase - was to return to Sharjah in 1972 in an abortive coup attempt in which Sheikh Khalid bin Muhammad was killed.

Now the internal premises are occupied by a museum, for the discovery of which they carried out a unique work: the traditional decoration of the chambers was restored. Passing through numerous rooms and halls, you can see the old ceramic and copper dishes, furniture, other household items.

Ancient swords, guns, guns, gunpowder tanks and much more are exhibited in the halls of the fortress and in the courtyard. During the tour (it is conducted in English) you can learn about the defense strategy of the fortress and the cunning of its guards. In addition, it is necessary to climb the towers of the fort to see from the height of the old city.

1 Dirham 1973On right side is the clock tower on Al Zahra square, in Sharjah.

The new fountain and clock tower has been built in Al Zahra Square in the center of Sharjah, under the direction and guidance of H.H. Dr. Sheik Sultan Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. This clock tower is one of two clock towers in city and, at a time when there were few noteworthy buildings or monuments in Sharjah, this was a distinctive landmark.

1 Dirham 1973In left lower corner is the saker falcon (Falco cherrug). This bird has a great emotional significance for the indigenous population.

There is an opinion, that the national bird of the United Arab Emirates is not the Saker, but its hunting hybrid with Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus). However - The first successful results of obtaining a hybrid of gyrfalcon and saker were obtained in the early 1970s in Ireland, that is, when the national bird of the UAE was already identified and there were already circulating banknotes with the image of Saker Falcon. Today - indeed, this hybrid is popular in falconry in many countries, including the OAU.

The saker falcon (Falco cherrug) is a large species of falcon. This species breeds from eastern Europe eastwards across Asia to Manchuria. It is mainly migratory except in the southernmost parts of its range, wintering in Ethiopia, the Arabian peninsula, northern Pakistan and western China.

The specific part of the scientific name, cherrug, comes from the Hindi name charg for a female saker. The common name saker comes from the (Arabic: صقر‎, translit. Ṣaqr‎) meaning "falcon".

Denomination in numerals are in three corners. Lower in words.

Comments:

Security strip.