All Articles
A complete archive of everything published on The Arab Collector, from special features to short reference reads.
Reviving the Egyptian Mint
The Ottoman governor Ibrahim Pasha al-Qabtan established the first Egyptian mint, or as it was known, the Darbkhana (minthouse), in the Citadel between his mosque and palace in 1709 AD (1121 AH). It remained in existence until it was renovated by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1812 AD (1227 AH). He continued to patronize it, ordering its expansion and the addition of areas for scales, gold testing, and a prayer room…
May 31, 2023A gang that forged postage stamps was arrested.
The police successfully apprehended a dangerous gang specializing in forging rare postage stamps. In 1921 (translator's note: the conference and stamps were issued in 1926), the International Navigation Conference was held in Cairo. At that time, the Egyptian Postal Authority issued a new set of stamps in denominations of 5, 10, and 15 milliemes. Despite the sale of a large number of these sets, the quantity...
May 16, 2023Striked in Egypt, the history behind the coin inscriptions
Under the title "Struck in Egypt," a cultural seminar was held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Cairo Opera House. Organized by the Cairo Biography Initiative in cooperation with the Civilization Cinema Center, the seminar featured a lecture by numismatic researcher Professor Mohamed Abdel Hamid, who posed the question of how history can be discerned from the inscriptions on coins, and…
May 16, 2023King Farouk and the promotion of stamp collecting
There is no doubt that His Majesty King Farouk I's interest in stamp collecting directly contributed to the spread of the hobby in Egypt. He had several notable experiences, one of which I will recount, though it may not be widely known. Most of us are well aware of the events surrounding the royal visit that took place in early 1946 when King Abdulaziz, the Saudi monarch, visited Egyptian soil and the reception he received…
May 10, 2023Anwar Sadat and his hobby of stamps and coins
President or Hobbyist? Anwar Sadat, the third president of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the commander in the 1973 war, became known for his passion for collecting stamps and coins. When someone mentions stamp and coin collecting among Egyptian rulers, the names of King Farouk or King Fuad's mother immediately come to mind. However, there was another hobbyist...
May 9, 2023Arab currencies in the Spink auction, April 2023
A diverse collection of Arab and foreign currencies was offered at the Spink Auction held in Hong Kong on April 13, 2023, in auction number 23008, attracting numerous banknote collectors from around the world. The Arab currencies in particular garnered significant attention, with a variety of coins from each region being offered…
April 24, 2023The idea of issuing a 500 pound banknote
Did you know that the Egyptian government considered issuing a 500-pound banknote a long time ago but changed its mind due to rumors about the economy? The idea for a new banknote dates back to 2004 when engineer Magdi Hanafi, a historian of Egyptian currency, met with the then-governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, Farouk El-Okda, during an event honoring him at the bank…
April 23, 2023Postage stamp commemorating Muslim holidays 2023
Canada Post has issued postage stamps commemorating the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which are celebrated by more than one million Muslims in Canada. The hand-painted ceramic vessel featured on this year's Canada Post Eid stamp was made in medieval Iran during the month of…
April 21, 2023King Fuad coin prices in Eritrea 2023 Part 2
As mentioned previously in the first part of the article "Egyptian Coins and Record Prices at Eretz 2023," a collection of coins from the reigns of King Fuad and Sultan Fuad was sold at Eretz Auction No. 28, held on March 21, 2023, achieving unprecedented record prices for Egyptian coins, in addition to many other foreign coins. The sold coins date from the years beginning with…
April 10, 2023New UAE currency notes in partnership with Check Mint
The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has unveiled new Emirati gold and silver coins celebrating the UAE's achievements over the past 50 years. These coins will be available for purchase after Ramadan. The announcement, made during the Dubai Precious Metals Conference 2022, involves a partnership with Czech Mint…
April 9, 2023Nubnefer, an Egyptian coin from the last Egyptian pharaoh
A gold coin of King Nectanebo II, known as the “Nubnefer“ coin, was recently offered at Spink Auctions on April 3, 2023. Nectanebo II was the third and last king of the Thirtieth Dynasty, as well as the last native ruler of ancient Egypt. He reigned for 10 years between 360 and 342 BC before being overthrown by the Ptolemies. The Nubnefer coin – the first…
April 9, 2023Egyptian currency and record prices in Eritrea 2023 Part 1
A collection of Egyptian and Palestinian coins was sold at the 28th Eretz auction held on March 21, 2023, achieving unprecedented prices for Egyptian coins, in addition to several other foreign pieces. The coins sold date from 1916, during the reign of Sultan Hussein Kamel, through the issues of Sultan Fuad from 1920 to 1923, and beyond.
April 8, 2023High Security Banknotes Award 2022
The Qatar Central Bank and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates received the regional High Security Banknote Awards and the ID Card of the Year award at the High Security Print EMEA event held in Abu Dhabi on March 8, 2023. Their new banknote designs were praised for their modern aesthetics and security features.
March 26, 2023Khedive Tawfiq and the reform of the Egyptian currency in 1885
The reform of the Egyptian currency in 1885 was a turning point in the history of Egypt. Under Khedive Tawfiq, the country faced financial collapse and war. Internal conditions in Egypt deteriorated after he assumed power, with financial problems being the root cause of Egypt's decline and the origin of foreign intervention. For any effective control over Egyptian affairs, the first and most necessary step was…
March 25, 2023IBAX Dubai Stamp Exhibition 2023
The Emirates Philatelic Association partnered with Dragon Mart 2 to organize the “IPEX Dubai 2023” philatelic exhibition. The exhibition took place from March 1st to 5th, 2023 at Dragon Mart 2, Dubai. Designed to promote and encourage philately in the region, the event was a great success with philatelists…
March 14, 2023A forged document for the sale of the coin of Julius Caesar's assassin
One of the rarest coins in the world, a replica of the Aurelius Brutus coin (the assassin of Julius Caesar), was sold with a forged title deed, and the seller was arrested! What happened? Richard Beale, owner and managing director of Roma Numismatics, was arrested…
March 13, 2023Palestinian Currency Museum
The Virtual Museum of Palestinian Currency is a free, interactive online museum documenting images and information about Palestinian currency, particularly coins, during the British Mandate period from 1927 to 1947. Launched in September 2020, the museum features images, documents, excerpts from official newspapers and magazines, and other documentary materials. The virtual exhibits allow users to view…
March 10, 2023Book: Centenary History of Jordanian Stamps
The Jordan Post Company has published a special book on stamps entitled “Centenary of Jordanian Stamp History” to commemorate the centenary of the founding of the Jordanian state. The book contains stamps from the reigns of the late King Abdullah and King Abdullah II, and is a valuable resource for historians and stamp collectors. A summary of the book, “Centenary of Jordanian Stamp History,” by Professor Randa Obeidat, includes…
March 7, 2023Algerian Arab Salon
The first Arab Salon for Philatelic, Numismatic, and Art Collectives was hosted by the municipal library in Ain Touta, Batna region, eastern Algeria, from February 24-27, 2023. This event was organized by the Belkacem Ain Touta Cultural Association and was held as part of the celebrations commemorating Algeria's Independence Day and other national days.
March 6, 2023Commemorative stamps for the founding of the House of Islamic Antiquities
The Postal Sector of the Ministry of Communications in the State of Kuwait issued stamps commemorating the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (House of Islamic Antiquities) on February 25, 2023. This commemorative stamp set was issued in cooperation with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters and the Kuwait Philatelic and Numismatic Society. These stamps commemorate major national holidays and the 40th anniversary of the founding of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, which has played a significant role in enriching…
March 5, 2023