By 1984, Libya's relationship with Western institutions was deteriorating sharply — US sanctions were tightening and Gaddafi's government was deepening its ties with the Eastern Bloc and various militant organizations. That Thomas De La Rue continued printing Libyan currency through this period reflects how thoroughly banknote printing had been insulated from broader political pressures; De La Rue maintained contracts with dozens of governments regardless of their international standing.
The P#50 series relied solely on a watermark for security, which was already considered minimal by the standards of the mid-1980s. No metallic thread, no UV-reactive inks.
By 1984, Libya's relationship with Western institutions was deteriorating sharply — US sanctions were tightening and Gaddafi's government was deepening its ties with the Eastern Bloc and various militant organizations. That Thomas De La Rue continued printing Libyan currency through this period reflects how thoroughly banknote printing had been insulated from broader political pressures; De La Rue maintained contracts with dozens of governments regardless of their international standing.
The P#50 series relied solely on a watermark for security, which was already considered minimal by the standards of the mid-1980s. No metallic thread, no UV-reactive inks.