5 Omani Rials Banknote (Type 2000)

5 Rials Rial Omani (Issued 2000)

Fine intaglio engraving and a warm red-dominant palette define the design language of this Central Bank of Oman 5 Rials note, placing it firmly within the tradition of ceremonially rich Middle Eastern currency design that flourished around the turn of the millennium. The layout employs a disciplined hierarchy of Arabic calligraphy, architectural vignette, and portraiture, each element commanding its own zone within a structured, formally balanced composition. Decorative guilloché borders frame the note top and bottom, their intricate repeating floral and scroll motifs printed with precision typical of the era’s high-security currency production. The overall effect is one of institutional gravitas combined with the visual richness associated with Gulf state banknote design.

On the front, the dominant presence is a portrait of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, the late ruler of Oman who governed the country from 1970 until his death in 2020 and whose image appeared on virtually all Omani currency issued during that period. He is depicted in three-quarter profile facing left, wearing a traditional Omani embroidered kuma cap with a richly decorated turban and bisht, rendered in fine engraved linework that captures the texture of the fabric and the character of his features with considerable detail. The portrait occupies the right-hand portion of the note and is printed primarily in deep red and brick tones. To the left of the portrait sits a finely engraved architectural vignette depicting a large formal building — identifiable as the Sultan’s Palace and associated government complex — set against an open courtyard with a prominent clock tower and flanking colonnades, rendered in a lighter, almost ochre-tinted line engraving. The Arabic text of the bank name, البنك المركزي العماني, appears prominently at the top in bold calligraphic script, while the denomination خمسة ريالات is inscribed in large Arabic characters across the centre of the note. A serial number, printed in red, appears twice — in the upper left and lower right — formatted as 6128064 with an alphanumeric prefix. A governor’s signature in Arabic script appears towards the lower centre, accompanied by the text سلطان عمان. The numeral 5 appears in the lower left in large format, and the right-hand edge of the note features a vertical security strip with repeating decorative motifs in blue and red incorporating the Omani khanjar dagger emblem. The border along the top and bottom consists of dense guilloché scroll and arabesque patterns in red, giving the note a richly decorative frame.

The reverse is dominated by a sweeping panoramic landscape vignette rendered in warm tones of red, ochre, terracotta, and muted green. The scene depicts a townscape with a blue-domed mosque at its centre — its minaret rising prominently — surrounded by traditional low-rise buildings in earthy yellows and reds. Behind the settlement, a dramatic mountain range recedes into a pale sky, its ridges rendered in fine engraved line. To the right of the mosque, a fortified structure — consistent with one of Oman’s historic hilltop forts — occupies the middle ground, its castellated walls and towers suggesting the ancient defensive architecture characteristic of the Muscat region. A road or wadi valley appears in the centre of the composition, and a flagpole bearing the Omani flag is visible among the buildings. The inscription CENTRAL BANK OF OMAN appears in bold serif capitals across the top of the reverse, printed in red. The denomination FIVE RIALS is displayed in large capitals along the lower portion of the note. In the upper right corner, an ornate decorative cartouche in lavender and pink tones contains a stylised numeral 5, surrounded by intricate Islamic geometric and floral patterning. A corresponding decorative panel in the lower left echoes this motif. The overall colour scheme of the reverse, while still anchored by the red printing of text and borders, introduces the warm landscape tones that give the note visual depth and geographic character.

Webuyallcurrency.com makes it easy to exchange old coins and banknotes — a 5 Rials banknote from Oman is accepted with other old or withdrawn Omani Rials banknotes and converted into cash in one go.

• Indicate the quantity of 5 Rials Rial Omani banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Exchange foreign coins and banknotes the easy way — Webuyallcurrency.com buys Omani Rials banknotes, current or discontinued, and combines them with the rest of your leftover currency for one simple payment.

Other Omani Rials you can exchange: 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 10, 20, 50.