The Currency Museum in the Central Bank of Oman Building
The new Central bank of Oman complex has a distinctive
Islamic architectural character. One of its numerous
features if a currency collection which illustrates the
history of Omani coinage in the pre-Islam and Islamic
periods, as well as the history of the Currency and paper money
in circulation during the period before the issue of the
first national currency - the Saidi Rial - during the reign
of His late majesty Sultan Said bin Taimour on 07.05.1970.
Minting Currency in Oman:
The Museum contains such Currency as the first Islamic silver
Dirhams, which are similar to the Sasanian Drachma, in
addition to Byzantine Currency and Islamic gold Dinars and
copper Files pieces. History records that the earliest
Islamic mint in the Arabian Peninsula was in Oman and that
the oldest coin known in Arabia was minted in Oman. This
coin - a silver Dirham - dates from the reign of the Ummayad
Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan and bears the name of Oman. It
was minted in the year 81 AH (700 AC). Other Islamic Currency
on display bear verses from the Holy Quran and the Hijri
The Museum also contains several examples of foreign
imperial currency that was in circulation in Oman between
1801 and 1970 – a time of extensive commercial and economic
relations with the outside world; during that period
transactions were conclude in Maria Theresa Dollars – minted
in Europe from pure silver – and other foreign currencie
Circulation Between 1916- 1957:
Among other items in the collection are legal currency notes
of the Indian Empire which were in circulation in the
Sultanate of Muscat and Oman between 1927 and 1948, currency
notes of the Republic of India from between 1949 and 1957,
and currency notes of the Sultanate of Zanzibar and Pemba;
these include the 20 Rupee denomination issued in January
1908, as well as 100, 50, 10 and 5 Rupee denominations
issued between 1916 and 1920.
The Museum includes currency notes of the Reserve Bank of
India and the Government of India which were issued for
circulation in the Arabian Gulf states after the foreign
monetary restrictions were introduced in the Republic of
India in 1957.
Paper Currency Issued by Muscat Monetary Authority:
The Museum also contains examples of the five issues of
Omani paper currency. The first issue, under the supervision
of the Muscat Monetary Authority on 07.05.1970, includes
paper denominations ranging from 100 Baisas to Ľ Saidi Rial,
˝ Saidi Rial, 1 Saidi Rial, 5 Said Rials and 10 Saidi Rials.
The second paper currency issue took place on 18.11.1972
under the supervision of the Omani Monetary Council. It
includes similar denominations to the denominations printed
of the first issue, though the name of the unit of currency
was changed from Saidi Rial to Omani Rial.
The third issue of Omani currency was the first to be
printed under the supervision of the Central Bank of Oman,
which commenced operations on 1st April 1975. The Central
Bank of Oman also oversaw the fourth and fifth issues of
Omani paper notes bore pictures of some of the achievements
of Oman’s renaissance during His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin
Said”s reign. The notes also bore His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
bin Said’s signature. The Currency and notes of this issue are
still valid legal tender. This issue - on 23rd July 1982 –
marked the introduction of the first 50 Rial denomination.
The other denominations were the same as those of the first
and second issues.
The Museum also contains gold, silver and bronze
commemorative Currency issued during His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
bin Said’s reign. These Currency commemorate various aspects
and achievements of Omani civilization as well as national
and international anniversaries and events.
Every display room in the museum has a panel with buttons
and a screen. By pressing the appropriate buttons the
visitor can call up an image of the currency he wishes to
view on the screen, together with details of its history.
There is also a comfortable 26-seat exhibition hall which
screens films and stage visual displays and other programmes
about the history of Omani currency and the Central Bank of
The Museum is open to visiting groups and members of the
public. The entry fee is 250 Baisas per person
Brief Description of the Museum’s Contents
The Museum has 564 Currency and 108 currency notes, making a
combined total of 672 Currency and notes.
The Currency include 231 modern commemorative Currency and 333
Currency from earlier times, including 109 old Currency presented
by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the Central Bank of
Oman. Among the Currency presented is an extremely rare silver
Dirham minted in Oman in the year 81 AH during Ummayyad
period, in the reign of the Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan.
Only two examples exist in the world – one in the Central
Bank collection and the other in a leading foreign museum.
(This rare coin is on show in the middle of the hall).
Among the rare paper currency items are a number of notes
issued in Zanzibar during the reign of the Al Busaid
dynasty. The oldest – the 20 Rupee denomination – was issued
on 1st January 1908.
following is a list of the currency notes on display:-
Zanzibar collection. 1908/1916/1920
• Indian Rupee – issued by the Government of India (British)
• Indian Rupee – issued by the Reserve bank of India 1949
• Gulf Rupee – issued by the Government of India 1957
• Saidi Rial – issued by the Muscat Monetary Authority 1970
• Oman Rial – issued by the Omani Monetary Council 1972
• Oman Rial – issued by the Central Bank of Oman – a 1976
• Omani Rial – issued by the Central Bank of Oman – b 1985
• Omani Rial – issued by the Central Bank of Oman – c 1995