10 Dinars KWT Banknote (1968 Sheikh Sabah Issue) 1968

10 Dinars Kuwaiti Dinar (Issued 1968)

Fewer examples of the 1968 Sheikh Sabah issue ten dinar note are believed to survive in presentable condition today than many collectors assume, given that Kuwait’s turbulent modern history — including the Iraqi invasion of 1990 — led to the destruction or disappearance of vast quantities of pre-invasion currency. The note was formally withdrawn following the reissue of Kuwaiti currency after liberation, removing it entirely from circulation and ensuring that surviving specimens were preserved only by chance rather than design. Its status as the first substantive issue of the Central Bank of Kuwait, combined with the portrait it bears of the ruling Sheikh, has placed it firmly among the most historically significant pieces of Gulf paper money from the twentieth century. Both scholars of Middle Eastern monetary history and those with a general interest in post-independence Gulf statehood regard it with considerable interest.

On the front, the note is dominated by an engraved portrait of Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, positioned to the right of centre within a finely worked rectangular frame. The portrait is rendered in a detailed intaglio style, showing the Sheikh in traditional Kuwaiti dress including a white keffiyeh and dark bisht, with a neat moustache clearly visible. The background to the left of the portrait is filled with an elaborate lattice of intricate floral and geometric guilloché patterns in pale green, pink, and cream tones, lending the note a rich, layered visual texture. Across the upper portion of the note, the issuing authority is identified in Arabic script as بنك الكويت المركزي, meaning the Central Bank of Kuwait, set against a delicate ornamental band. The denomination is stated prominently in Arabic calligraphy as عشرة دنانير, meaning Ten Dinars, in a bold dark script positioned centrally. Below the denomination text, additional Arabic text references the note’s legal authority and the date of issue, with the year 1968 clearly visible in the inscription. The serial number appears in both the lower left and upper right corners in a dark typeface, with the numeral 10 printed in the upper right corner in a contrasting style. The overall colour palette of the front combines soft olive greens, warm peach tones, and cream with darker engraved elements, creating a note that is visually intricate despite its relatively restrained dimensions.

The reverse presents a striking central vignette depicting a traditional Kuwaiti dhow in full sail on open water, the vessel rendered with considerable engraving detail showing its tall mast, billowing sails, and the gentle movement of waves beneath the hull. A small flag is visible at the rear of the vessel, and the ship’s rigging and hull lines are carefully delineated in the intaglio printing. The background behind the dhow transitions through pale blue and grey-green tones, evoking the open waters of the Arabian Gulf that were central to Kuwait’s historical identity as a seafaring and pearling nation. The English text “Central Bank of Kuwait” appears in the upper portion of the reverse in a clean serif typeface, positioned above and to the left of the dhow vignette, while “Ten Dinars” is printed along the lower border in matching serif lettering. The denomination numeral 10 appears in each of the four corner positions, set within decorative rosette frames that echo the guilloché patterning found on the front. A broad ornamental border runs around the full perimeter of the reverse, incorporating repeating floral and geometric elements in pink, teal, and green, providing a visually consistent frame to the nautical central image. The overall design of the reverse reinforces Kuwait’s maritime heritage while presenting a formally composed and elegantly printed layout characteristic of mid-twentieth century central bank note production.

Looking to exchange leftover currency? Your 10 Dinars banknote can be sold to Webuyallcurrency.com alongside other old or withdrawn Kuwaiti Dinars banknotes, turning spare money from a trip or collection into cash in one simple transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 10 Dinars Kuwaiti Dinar banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com buys and exchanges foreign currency of every kind, so your Kuwaiti Dinars banknotes — withdrawn or current — can be sold for cash together with the rest of your leftover coins and notes.