5 Piastres EGY Banknote (General Issue) 1998-1999

5 Piastres Egyptian Pound (Issued 1998-1999)

Egypt in the late 1990s was governed under President Hosni Mubarak, whose administration oversaw a period of economic liberalisation and engagement with international financial institutions aimed at modernising the country’s monetary infrastructure. The Egyptian Pound’s subsidiary denominations, including the piastre series, remained in everyday circulation as essential low-value transactional notes authorised under the long-standing Law No. 50 of 1940, which continued to provide the legal framework for currency note issuance. These small-format treasury notes were issued not by the Central Bank of Egypt but under the authority of the Minister of Finance, a distinction reflected clearly in their typography and official inscriptions. This particular 5 Piastres note, withdrawn from circulation following the issue period of 1998 to 1999, represents a compact but historically significant piece of Egyptian monetary history.

On the front, the dominant visual element is a finely engraved profile portrait of Queen Nefertiti, rendered in dark blue-grey intaglio engraving to the right-hand side of the note. The portrait captures the famous sculpted likeness of the ancient Egyptian queen — her distinctive flat-topped crown, elongated neck, and composed profile immediately identifiable — executed with precise line work that gives the image considerable depth and clarity against the note’s pale ground. The background of the note is printed in delicate light blue and soft pink tones, with subtle guilloché patterning filling the central field. To the upper left, Arabic text identifies the issuing authority as the Arab Republic of Egypt and describes the note as official currency paper, framed within an ornate decorative border. The central Arabic text, printed in a bold and stylised script, reads the denomination as five piastres. Below this, further Arabic text references the legal authority: Law No. 50 of 1940. A cursive Arabic signature appears to the left alongside the designation of Minister of Finance. A large oval watermark window is visible on the left side of the note. A serial number appears along the lower portion of the note, repeated in two positions, printed in dark ink. Denomination numeral “5” appears in the upper corners in bold Arabic-Eastern numerals. The overall printing is compact and precise, befitting the small physical format of this fractional denomination note.

The reverse presents a structured and symmetrical design rendered predominantly in blue-grey and light blue tones. The central vertical axis features a large oval blank watermark area to the right, mirroring the placement seen on the front. To the left, a prominent circular guilloché rosette encloses the numeral “5” above the word “PIASTRES” in clean serif lettering, the entire roundel surrounded by intricate lathe-work spirals typical of security printing. Across the upper central portion, Arabic text in a circular arrangement identifies the Arab Republic of Egypt, beneath which the English text reads “ISSUED UNDER LAW No. 50/1940.” Below this, a cursive English signature reads “M. Elghareeb” followed by the designation “MINISTER OF FINANCE.” The arc of text across the lower central portion reads “THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT CURRENCY NOTE” in full capitals, lending the reverse a formal, official character. The numeral “5” appears again in the lower corners in a clear, bold typeface. The surrounding border features repetitive fine-line geometric patterning, and the overall paper has a pale blue security tint visible across the surface.

Sell foreign coins and banknotes the simple way: this 5 Piastres Egyptian Pound banknote can be exchanged through Webuyallcurrency.com together with other old or withdrawn Egyptian Pounds banknotes, all settled in a single transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 5 Piastres Egyptian Pound banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

From leftover holiday money to inherited collections, Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange or buy your Egyptian Pounds banknotes and other foreign currency, handling old and withdrawn pieces in the same simple process.