Catalog
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| Issuer | Banque de Syrie et du Liban |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Pound (1919-date) |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A central intaglio vignette illustrates traditional dhows under sail on a coastal sea, with mountains visible in the background. Elaborate guilloche borders frame the central panel on all sides, with ornate rosette medallions at the corners and the denomination numeral 50 within a decorative cartouche at right. Arabic script of the bank name runs along the top border, with the French legend "CINQUANTE LIVRES" set in letterpress along the lower margin. |
| Reverse lettering | بنك سوريا ولبنان LIVRES 50 CINQUANTE LIVRES ليرة |
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| Comments |
The Banque de Syrie et du Liban operated under French Mandate authority, and by 1939 its note issues were carrying the weight of an administration increasingly anxious about the coming European war. Bradbury Wilkinson's involvement was long-standing with this series — the London firm had handled high-denomination Mandate-era printings for the bank through the 1930s, producing work of consistently high engraving quality.
The 50 Livres was not a denomination that saw heavy street circulation. At that value, these notes moved primarily between commercial institutions and government accounts, which is why surviving examples often show less wear than lower denominations from the same period.