50 Israeli Lirot Banknote (Chaim Weizmann)

50 Lirot Israeli Lira (Issued 1973)

Issued in 1973, the year of the Yom Kippur War — one of the most consequential conflicts in Israeli history — this 50 Lirot banknote entered circulation during a period of acute national crisis, when Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a surprise offensive against Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. The Golda Meir-led government faced an extraordinary military and diplomatic emergency, and the Israeli economy operated under severe wartime pressure. It was against this turbulent backdrop that the Bank of Israel continued issuing currency, and this note stands as a tangible artefact of that defining moment in the nation’s story. The 1973 issue represents one of the final expressions of the Israeli Lira before the currency was eventually replaced by the Shekel in 1980.

On the front, the dominant feature is a finely engraved portrait of Chaim Weizmann, the renowned chemist and statesman who served as the first President of Israel, rendered in meticulous intaglio detail on the right-hand side of the note. His bald head, neatly trimmed goatee beard, and composed expression are captured with considerable precision, the engraving conveying depth and texture through fine cross-hatched lines typical of high-quality banknote printing of the era. Behind the portrait, a classical colonnaded building — widely understood to represent the Weizmann Institute of Science — stretches across the central field, its rows of vertical pillars rendered in layered green tones against a pale mint-green background. The overall colour palette is a cool, uniform green, ranging from deep olive in the engraved elements to a light aquamarine in the background tint. In the upper left corner, the denomination “50” appears in bold numerals, mirrored by a matching “50” in the upper right. The central inscription in Hebrew reads “חמישים לירות ישראליות” — Fifty Israeli Lirot — set in clear, well-spaced type. Along the lower portion of the note, the issuing authority “בנק ישראל” (Bank of Israel) is printed in large, confident Hebrew lettering. Below and to the left, two facsimile signatures appear alongside their respective Hebrew titles, identifying the Governor and Chairman of the Bank of Israel. The year 1973 is printed in both Hebrew calendar notation and Western numerals near the lower edge. A serial number is faintly visible to the right, and a small ornamental security emblem appears at the lower left beneath the signatures.

The reverse presents a richly detailed engraving of the Damascus Gate — one of the most architecturally striking entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem — rendered in the same cool green palette as the front. The gate’s crenellated battlements, arched central portal, and heavy stone masonry are depicted with considerable engraving skill, the stonework conveying three-dimensional solidity through fine line work and tonal shading. A decorative lantern is visible hanging within the archway, adding an additional layer of historical authenticity to the scene. Above the central vignette, “בנק ישראל” (Bank of Israel) is printed in Hebrew, with additional Arabic script visible alongside. The serial number 1561165866 appears twice on the reverse — once along the upper left and again along the right edge — printed in dark green against the pale background. In the lower centre, “BANK OF ISRAEL” is printed in Roman script, providing the English-language identification of the issuing authority. The denomination “50” appears in the upper left and lower right corners, maintaining consistent visual framing. Watermark show-through from the obverse portrait is faintly discernible against the light background paper, and the overall paper stock has a crisp, smooth quality characteristic of security printing of this period.

If you have a 50 Lirot banknote to exchange, Webuyallcurrency.com takes it as part of its leftover currency service, combining your Israeli Pounds banknotes with other world coins and banknotes in one easy payout.

• Indicate the quantity of 50 Lirot Israeli Lira 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 Israeli Pounds banknotes alongside other leftover and foreign currency, settling the whole lot in one straightforward transaction.

Other Israeli Pounds you can exchange: 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 100, 500.