The rial or riyal was the currency of North Yemen, first the
Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen
The Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen ( ar, المملكة المتوكلية اليمنية '), also known as the Kingdom of Yemen or simply as Yemen, or, retrospectively, as North Yemen, was a state that existed between 1918 and 1962 in the nor ...
, then the
Yemen Arab Republic
The Yemen Arab Republic (YAR; ar, الجمهورية العربية اليمنية '), also known simply as North Yemen or Yemen (Sanaʽa), was a country from 1962 to 1990 in the northwestern part of what is now Yemen.The United States extend ...
.
History
The Mutawakkilite Kingdom began issuing coins around the turn of the 20th century. The rial was divided into 160 ''zalat'', 80 ''halala'' or 40
buqsha. During the reign of
Imam Yahya, the first rial coins were issued. Denominations were given on coins as a fraction of the rial, with the "honorific" ''Imadi'' appearing on the coins of Imam Yahya and ''Ahmadi'' on the coins of
Imam Ahmad. Consequently, the currency is sometimes referred to as the "Imadi riyal" or "Ahmadi rial".
A modern style coinage was introduced into circulation in 1963, following the establishment of the Yemen Arab Republic. The country was one of the last to adopt a decimal currency system. In 1974 the rial was divided into 100 ''
fils'', although inflation has caused the fils denominations to disappear from circulation.
After the unification of
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the northeast and ...
, the
Yemeni rial replaced the North Yemeni rial at par.
Coins
In the reign of
Imam Yahya (1904-1948), bronze coins were issued for 1 zalat, 1 halala and 1 buqsha, together with silver 1 buqsha, , , , and 1 rial. In the reign of his successor,
Imam Ahmad (1948-1962), the silver 1 buqsha and rial were not continued but and rial were introduced. Unusually, the and rial coins were
pentagon
In geometry, a pentagon (from the Greek πέντε ''pente'' meaning ''five'' and γωνία ''gonia'' meaning ''angle'') is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°.
A pentagon may be sim ...
al.
Gold coins denominated in guineas were also minted, primarily for presentation purposes.
In 1962, the Arab Republic first issued bronze and 1 buqsha, , , and rial in a similar style to those of the last king. These were followed in 1963 by a new coinage, consisting of aluminium-bronze , 1, and 2 buqsha and silver 5, 10 and 20 buqsha and 1 rial.
In 1974, the new decimal coinage was introduced consisting of aluminium 1 fils, brass 5 and 10 fils, and cupro-nickel 25 and 50 fils. Cupro-nickel 1 rial followed in 1976.
Banknotes
In 1964, the government introduced North Yemen's first paper money, 1, 5, and 10 rial notes. These were followed by 10 and 20 buqsha in 1966, revised 1, 5, and 10 rial notes in 1969, and 20 and 50 rial notes on 13 May 1971. The Central Bank of Yemen was established on 27 July 1971, with its headquarters in Sana'a, the capital of the Arab Republic of Yemen. The Central Bank of Yemen absorbed the functions of the Yemen Currency Board. When the Arab Republic of Yemen ("North Yemen") and the
Democratic Republic of Yemen
The Democratic Republic of Yemen ( '), colloquially known as South Yemen, was a breakaway state that fought against Yemen Arab Republic in the 1994 Yemeni Civil War. It was declared in May 1994 and covered all of the former South Yemen.
The ...
("South Yemen") united on 22 May 1990 to form the Republic of Yemen, the north's Central Bank of Yemen merged with the south's Bank of Yemen, and the joint venture continued to use the name Central Bank of Yemen.
Value
Notes
References
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External links
{{Portal, Money
Currencies of Asia
Modern obsolete currencies
North Yemen
Economy of Yemen
Currencies of Yemen