1 Dinar KWT Banknote (Liberation Issue (1991–2001)) 1991

1 Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar (Issued 1991)

Surviving examples of the 1991 Kuwaiti Liberation commemorative one dinar banknote are far fewer than original print runs might suggest, as many were retained as personal mementos of a defining moment in Kuwaiti national history and never returned to circulation. Issued to mark the liberation of Kuwait following the Gulf War, this polymer note carries an immediate historical weight that sets it apart from standard circulation issues of the same period. The combination of its commemorative status, polymer construction, and the emotionally charged events it represents has made it a note that historians and currency enthusiasts seek to document and preserve. Examples in crisp, undamaged condition are particularly scarce given how frequently these notes were folded and tucked away as keepsakes in the weeks and months following liberation.

On the front, the note is printed on polymer plastic rather than traditional cotton paper, immediately distinguishing it from conventional banknote issues of the era. The background is rendered in warm tones of orange, red, and coral, overlaid with fine guilloché patterning and a central ghost image of a map of Kuwait printed in pale red-orange. To the upper left, a transparent window contains an optically variable device featuring a stylised floral or geometric rosette design that shifts in appearance when tilted, serving as one of the note’s primary security features. The serial number CB 205773 appears in teal-green numerals at the top left, and the same serial is repeated in Arabic numerals in teal across the top right. The issuing authority’s name, “بنك الكويت المركزي” (Central Bank of Kuwait), is prominently printed in bold Arabic calligraphy at the top centre of the note. Below this, a central Arabic text panel carries the denomination and commemorative inscriptions, including a date rendered in Arabic script corresponding to 26 February 1993, marking the second anniversary of liberation. The denomination numeral “١” appears in large format on both the left and right sides of the note. To the right, the State of Kuwait’s official emblem is printed in teal and dark blue, depicting a traditional dhow sailing vessel within a circular device surmounted by a golden eagle and flanked by the national colours. Along the left edge, a vertical column of fine print lists numerous countries in English, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Egypt, Canada, France, and many others — a detail unique to this issue, representing the coalition nations that participated in the liberation of Kuwait. Arabic text runs in vertical columns along the right margin. Two authorising signatures appear in the lower portion of the note beneath the central text panel.

The reverse is equally rich in commemorative imagery, printed in a palette of warm brown, deep red, olive green, and muted purple. To the left, a powerful engraved vignette depicts a dramatic desert landscape with billowing dark smoke rising from oil well fires, a visceral reference to the environmental destruction wrought during the Iraqi occupation, with two camels visible in the lower foreground rendered in fine intaglio-style engraving. To the right of centre, a detailed and emotionally resonant scene depicts a group of Kuwaiti men in traditional dress embracing and celebrating, their expressions conveying joy and relief at the moment of liberation. In the background behind the figures, a cityscape is visible featuring what appears to be a mosque or prominent public building rendered in purple-toned offset printing. The text “Central Bank of Kuwait” runs diagonally in English across the upper centre of the reverse in bold serif lettering, and the denomination “One Dinar” is printed in English to the right. A notice reading “THIS IS NOT LEGAL TENDER” appears in small text beneath the denomination, confirming the note’s commemorative rather than transactional status. A second transparent polymer window appears at the right edge, containing the same optically variable rosette device as seen on the front, providing visual continuity across both faces. At the lower left, a commemorative inscription in English reads: “A Commemorative Note Issued on the Occasion of the Second Anniversary of Liberation of the State of Kuwait, February 26, 1993.” The denomination numeral “1” appears in the lower right corner in bold print.

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