1 Riyal QAT Banknote (1996 Issue) 1996

1 Riyal Qatari Riyal (Issued 1996)

Surviving examples of the 1996-issue 1 Riyal note from the Qatar Central Bank series are now genuinely uncommon in circulation, having been withdrawn from use as Qatar’s currency programme evolved through successive modernisation phases. The relatively low face value meant these notes were handled frequently and with little care, and attrition through everyday use has left well-preserved specimens increasingly difficult to encounter. Their withdrawal status, combined with the historical context of Qatar’s rapid economic transformation during the 1990s, has given them a quiet significance among those documenting Gulf state monetary history. Notes in crisp, unfolded condition are particularly seldom seen outside institutional holdings.

On the front, the design is rendered in warm tones of brown, terracotta, and muted purple against a background of fine guilloché latticework that covers the central field in intricate repeating wave patterns. The issuing authority name is printed in Arabic script across the top of the note, identifying the Qatar Central Bank, while the denomination is stated prominently in Arabic calligraphy reading “ريال واحد” — one riyal — set within a central oval panel overlaid with a geometric security underprint in orange and blue tones. To the right of centre sits the national emblem of Qatar, a detailed engraving depicting a traditional dhow sailing vessel alongside a palm tree, enclosed within an oval frame rendered in deep purple and brown ink. The serial number 189324 appears twice on the front — once in the upper left field and again in the lower right — printed in brown numerals with an Arabic prefix. Two signature lines are present in the lower portion of the note, one attributed to the Governor and one to the Minister, with their respective titles printed beneath in Arabic script. The numeral “1” appears in the lower left corner as a secondary denomination indicator, and the overall front design relies heavily on arabesque border detailing and fine-line geometric patterning throughout.

The reverse is printed predominantly in soft violet and lavender tones, with a central engraved vignette depicting a traditional wooden dhow moored at a Qatari waterfront, shown in fine intaglio-style detail with rigging and hull structure clearly rendered. Behind the vessel, a modern low-rise urban skyline extends across the mid-ground, suggesting Qatar’s coastal development, with a pale circular disc — representing the sun or moon — visible on the horizon above the buildings. The scene is framed by ornate arabesque flourishes at the corners, and a multicoloured guilloché rosette in red, orange, and green is visible in the lower centre of the note, adding a further layer of security printing. The text “QATAR CENTRAL BANK” is printed in capital Roman lettering across the top of the reverse in dark ink, and “ONE RIYAL” appears along the lower portion in matching typography. The numeral “1” is repeated within a decorative cartouche to the right, and the overall background carries a pale pink and cream wash that provides contrast to the darker engraved elements.

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