I wish to present another Iraqi coin with the side profile of a ruler as a special feature in direct contrast to the Republican coin of the previous post. My hunch was that it was a ruler from the Hasshemite dynasty who ruled Iraq for four decades between and after the two World Wars.
My hunch proved to be correct as the legend flanking the right side of the king’s profile on the obverse side read ‘Ghazi al-Awwal’ i.e. ‘Ghazi the First' proving that this coin was issued in the reign of King Ghazi I who ruled Iraq in the crucial period preceding the World War II.
My hunch proved to be correct as the legend flanking the right side of the king’s profile on the obverse side read ‘Ghazi al-Awwal’ i.e. ‘Ghazi the First' proving that this coin was issued in the reign of King Ghazi I who ruled Iraq in the crucial period preceding the World War II.
Ghazi I was the only son of King Faisal I who was the first Hasshemite ruler hailing from the clan of hereditary Sharifs of Mecca. Ghazi assumed regal authority in 1933 on the death of Faisal I and ruled Iraq till his untimely death in 1939 at the young age of 27 in a mysterious car crash; rumoured to be engineered by his all powerful Prime Minister, Nuri al-Said.
Coming back to the coin in question, its reverse side has legends neatly divided into five segments; the central circle ascribes the denomination of 10 fils to the coin; the two side legends flanking the circle state the date, the left one 1938 in the common era and the right one, 1357 in Hijri era albeit in Arabic numerals; the upper and lower legends restate ‘al Mulkah al Iraqiyah’.
The coin is a nickel one and was minted at the Royal Mint, London reflecting the close relations between the Hasshemite regime and the British even after their exit.
Coming back to the coin in question, its reverse side has legends neatly divided into five segments; the central circle ascribes the denomination of 10 fils to the coin; the two side legends flanking the circle state the date, the left one 1938 in the common era and the right one, 1357 in Hijri era albeit in Arabic numerals; the upper and lower legends restate ‘al Mulkah al Iraqiyah’.
The coin is a nickel one and was minted at the Royal Mint, London reflecting the close relations between the Hasshemite regime and the British even after their exit.
Iraq did not submerge into anarchy after Ghazi's death because his 3 year old son, Faisal II was installed with Ghazi's cousin, Abd’allah serving as the Regent. Faisal II took over the throne after coming of age in 1953. However, he was killed in cold blood along with other members of the royal family after the coup d’état by General Abd’al Karim Qassim hailed as the ‘14th July Revolution’ ended the four decade long Hasshemite rule over Iraq.
10 Fils is a very small denomination as the Iraqi currency in Ghazi’ s regime had the following sub-units;
1 Dinar = 5 Riyals = 20 Dirham = 1000 Fils
However, a small coin like the above, despite its low value, has again proved to be an invaluable tool for retracing the path of History in its own inimitable way.
10 Fils is a very small denomination as the Iraqi currency in Ghazi’ s regime had the following sub-units;
1 Dinar = 5 Riyals = 20 Dirham = 1000 Fils
However, a small coin like the above, despite its low value, has again proved to be an invaluable tool for retracing the path of History in its own inimitable way.
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