25 Dinars Gulf War Propaganda Leaflet

Not a banknote in any technical sense, though it circulates through numismatic collections as one. During Operation Desert Storm, U.S. Army PSYOP units produced leaflets designed to mimic Iraqi currency — this example copies the 25 Dinar note then in circulation — and dropped them by the millions over Iraqi troop positions. The reverse side carried a surrender message in Arabic, instructing soldiers how to defect without being shot.

The mimicry was deliberate and carefully executed. Studies from earlier conflicts had shown that soldiers pick up objects resembling money almost reflexively, guaranteeing the message would be read. Efficacy is still debated, but the Iraqi Army's mass surrenders during the ground campaign gave PSYOP planners considerable confidence in the approach.