The history of collectible Jordan banknotes begins in 1949 and continues to the present day. Many of the earliest Jordan currency notes are quite rare, and even in rough condition can be pricy. Higher-grade Jordanian paper money is often even more expensive. Jordan banknotes remain very popular with collectors, however. The Middle Eastern country has been at the center of global politics for decades, and its banknotes reflect Jordan’s role in that part of the world. Not only that, but rare Jordan banknotes are well-designed and contain a great amount of visual appeal as well.
Banknote collectors who have sections in their collections for the paper money of Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia usually have some Jordan banknotes as well. In tandem, these banknotes show the various aspects of life and politics and finance in this fascinating and important region.
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The First Jordan Banknotes, 1949
As it was changing its name from Transjordan to Jordan, the newly independent (from the United Kingdom) country issued two series of banknotes in 1949 and 1952. These were under the auspices of the Jordan Currency Board. These banknotes used dinars and fils as their currency units:
1 dinar = 1000 fils (singular also fils)
The first series, identified by the English phrase THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF THE JORDAN on the reverse side (with Arabic on the front), contained five notes:
- 500 fils
- 1 dinar
- 5 dinars
- 10 dinars
- 50 dinars
Uncirculated copies of each of these are worth thousands of dollars today.
The second series, with the slightly modified English phrase THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN (no “the”), featured the same notes except there was no 50-dinar bill. Uncirculated examples of these can go for prices in the high hundreds of dollars, lower condition notes much less.
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How To Pronounce “Hashemite”
“Hashemite”, in case you’re wondering, is pronounced something like “hosh a meat”. It refers to Jordan’s ruling family, who trace their lineage to a fifth-century figure named Hashim.
Central Bank of Jordan Banknotes, 1959
Jordan changed its banknote-issuing bureau and new notes were issued in 1965; these are based on a new 1959 currency law and bear the English legend CENTRAL BANK OF JORDAN, a phrase still on banknotes today. A complete set of this four-note series (500 fils to 10 dinars) is attainable to most collectors, depending on budget, timing of vendors, and condition.
Five Hundred Fils to Half Dinar Notes
As of the second Central Bank of Jordan banknote issue, the 500-fils note was revamped as a 1/2-dinar note. Same value, different notion. As usual, every note featured an image of King Hussein alongside Jordanian cultural, historical, or architectural depictions.
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Over the years, new issues continued to develop design-wise. Or, more properly, color-wise. Designs have been kept noble and understated, while the colors have evolved in complexity but stick to generally rich and darkish hues. Denominations were kept the same as well, although a 20-dinar note was introduced in 1977, and the 50-dinar bill was revived in 1994. (This latter note was printed in three varieties, two of which are extremely rare.)
Collecting and Buying Jordan Banknotes Today
Jordan’s collectible banknotes continue to feature King Hussein, and the relative simplicity and stability of Jordanian paper money history means it’s easy to decide what to collect for most. (If you collect notes based on unique denominations, for example, there are only seven varieties in all of Jordan banknote history.) But looking further, you’ll find that collecting Jordan banknotes isn’t actually as simple as it first seems.
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First of all, there are many varieties for several historical Jordanian notes, including different signatures and the existence of specimens and even several unissued (but indeed printed) notes. Also, securing an entire series, from any era, can cost a bit of money. Even if you’re buying recent notes at face value, that value can put a dent in your budget.
But, where there’s a will there’s a way. You may have to sacrifice a little more to get the rare Jordan banknotes you want for your collection, but the pieces are beautiful and consistent and will provide endless hours of fun, both in finding the ones you want and in admiring them in your collection.
