From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Currency of Zanzibar from 1882-1908
The
ryal
(
Arabic
:
????
) was the currency of
Zanzibar
between 1882 and 1908. It was subdivided into 136
pysa
and circulated alongside the
Indian rupee
and
Maria Theresa thaler
. The ryal was replaced by the
Zanzibari rupee
at 2⅛ rupees = 1 ryal.
Coins
[
edit
]
In 1882 (
A.H.
1299), coins were introduced in denominations of 1 pysa, ¼, ½, 1, 2½ and 5 ryals. The pysa was struck in copper, with the ¼, ½ and 1 ryal in silver and the 2½ and 5 ryals struck in gold. Further 1 pysa coins were struck in 1887 (A.H. 1304) but no more silver or gold pieces were ever struck.
The silver and gold ryals all look similar with the exception of the denomination and were struck at the Royal Belgian Mint, Brussels, Belgium. Only the 1 and 5 ryal were put in circulation; for the ¼, ½, and 2½ ryal only patterns were struck. The 1 ryal coin of 38 mm in diameter shows the following text.
Obverse: line 1 and 5: ???? ???? (Allah guards);
line 2 tot 4: ????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ????? (sultan Sa’id bin Barghash bin Sultan).
Reverse: ? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? (ryal 1, coin of Sa’idiat, year 1299).
Zanzibar has been called the
Isle of Cloves
and the clove sprigs can be seen at different positions on the obverse and reverse.
References
[
edit
]
- Browder, Tim J., Zanzibar coinage, Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine, vol. 27, sept. 1961, pp. 2530-2535.
External links
[
edit
]