Half Iraqi Dinar Banknote (Great Mosque Of Samarra)

½ Dinar Iraqi Dinar (Issued 1993)

Few low-denomination banknotes encapsulate a moment of political and economic turbulence as concisely as the 1993 Iraqi half dinar, issued during the height of international sanctions imposed following the Gulf War. A currency specialist would immediately recognise the dual-date format — the Islamic Hijri year 1413 alongside the Gregorian year 1993 — as a hallmark of Iraqi state printing conventions of the period. The absence of a portrait of Saddam Hussein on this particular denomination, in contrast to higher-value contemporaries, makes it an intriguing study in the hierarchy of Iraqi state imagery during the Ba’athist era. The note’s modest scale belies its documentary importance as a tangible artefact of Iraq’s monetary system under extraordinary political pressure.

On the front, the design is printed predominantly in warm brown and soft olive-green tones against a pale mint-green background. The central area features the Arabic text “نصف دينار” — meaning “Half Dinar” — rendered in bold, stylised calligraphy, surrounded by further Arabic script stating the note’s legal tender status and the authority of the Central Bank of Iraq. To the upper left, the Arabic name of the issuing institution, البنك المركزي العراقي, appears in a formal typeface within a decorative panel. The dual date inscription “١٤١٣ – ١٩٩٣م” is clearly printed beneath this header, establishing both the Hijri and Gregorian calendrical references. To the right of centre, a highly detailed circular vignette depicts what appears to be an astrolabe — an ancient Islamic scientific instrument — rendered with fine intaglio engraving in reddish-brown ink, its intricate graduated markings and rotating rete clearly visible. This motif is a deliberate reference to Iraq’s celebrated mediaeval scholarly heritage. The denomination “½” appears in both the upper left and lower right corners of the face, flanked by ornate guilloché scrollwork borders in a repeating serpentine pattern of brown and green. A serial number, reading 0064106, appears in green numerals to the left side of the note. A governor’s signature, rendered in Arabic script, appears beneath the central text block, above the title “المحافظ” (Governor). Fine geometric rosette patterns in teal and olive fill the lower border, adding additional anti-counterfeiting texture to the design.

The reverse is dominated by a powerful central engraving in dark brown depicting the Great Mosque of Samarra and its iconic spiral minaret, the Malwiya Tower — one of the most recognisable architectural monuments of the Islamic world, constructed during the Abbasid Caliphate in the ninth century. The tower is rendered with considerable engraving detail, its ascending helical ramp clearly delineated against a lightly hatched sky. The surrounding mosque walls and gateway structures are similarly depicted with fine line work. The text “Central Bank of Iraq” arcs across the upper portion of the reverse in brown serif lettering, while “Half Dinar” is printed in matching serif type along the lower margin. The denomination “½” appears twice in the upper right and lower corners, set within ornate scroll cartouches. Decorative rope-twist borders frame the note on all sides, and a small rosette motif in teal appears on the right-hand side, echoing design elements found on the obverse. The overall background carries a faint pale green security tint, with subtle guilloché patterning visible in the left and right margins.

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• Indicate the quantity of ½ Dinar Iraqi Dinar banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Got a mix of old coins and banknotes? Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange your Iraqi Dinars banknotes alongside other leftover and foreign currency, settling the whole lot in one straightforward transaction.

Other Iraqi Dinars you can exchange: 0.25, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 250, 500, 1000, 5000.