YEMEN, North. Mutawakkilite Kingdom. Sayf al-Islam Ahmad, AH 1367-1382 / AD 1948-1962. Ahmadi Riyal (Gold, 39 mm, 32.39 g, 12 h), Sanʿa, AH 1374 = AD 1954/5. Central circle: lā ilāha illā Allāh / Muḥammad rasūl Allāh (‘There is no god but God / Muhammad is the Messenger of God’ in Arabic). Outer margin: al-Mamlaka al-Mutawakkiliyya al-Yamaniyya / riyāl Aḥmadī / ḍuriba bi-Dār al-Khilāfa Ṣanʿāʾ / sanat 1374 (‘The Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen / Ahmadi Riyal / struck at the Abode of the Caliphate, Sanaʿa / year 1374’ in Arabic). Rev. In concentric circular compartments: Allāh naṣarahu, with accession date AH 1367; Aḥmad Ḥamīd al-Dīn; Amīr al-Muʾminīn al-Nāṣir li-Dīn Allāh Rabb al-ʿĀlamīn (‘May God grant him victory’, accession year AH 1367, 'Commander of the Faithful, al-Nāṣir for the Religion of God, Lord of the Worlds' in Arabic) Below, crossed swords; above sword hilts, incuse numeral ٤ indicating four Sovereigns. Friedberg 8. KM Y G17.2. Mounted, slightly cleaned and die breaks on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine.


This is a ceremonial issue of the Ahmadi Riyal, struck in heavy gold and intended for presentation. The present date AH 1374 is less frequently encountered than the commonly offered AH 1377-1378 issues. The incuse numeral ٤ indicates the standard of four Sovereigns (also exists ۵ for 5 Lira).