Saudi 5 halala coin

5 halala / 1 qirsh
	2016 coin
General information
Country	Saudi Arabia
Value	0.05 riyal
Years	1972–2016 (AH1392–1428)
Measurements and composition
Mass	2.5 g (1972-2009); 2.4 g (2016);
Diameter	19.5 mm (1972-2009); 17.5 mm (2016);
Thickness	~1 mm (1972-2009); 1.5 mm (2016);
Composition	cupronickel (1972-2009); copper-plated steel (2016);
Appearance
Shape	round
Alignment	medallic
Edge	reeded (1972-2009); plain (2016);
Obverse	see text
Reverse	see text
	v · d · e

"Saudi 1 qirsh coin" redirects here. For earlier coins of the denomination, see Saudi 1 qirsh coin (disambiguation).

The 5 halala or 1 qirsh coin is a current circulation piece of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has been issued in six types since 1972: one under King Faisal (1906–1975; r. 1964–1975), two under King Khalid (1913–1982; r. 1975–1982), and one under Kings Fahd (1921–2005; r. 1982–2005), Abdullah (1924–2015; r. 2005–2015), and Salman (1935–; r. 2015–). Each was distributed by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) and struck under commission at foreign mints.

The first coin of the denomination was introduced in 1972, during the later reign of King Faisal. It was then followed in 1977 by the first coin of King Khalid, which was then issued again in 1980. A circulating commemorative piece celebrating the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was also introduced during Khalid's reign in 1978. A single type was then issued under King Fahd in 1988, followed by a coin of Abdullah in 2009 and then a piece of Salman in 2016.

All six coins are currently legal tender in their country of origin, each holding a nominal value of 0.05 riyal.

Coins[]

Coin of Faisal (1972)[]

Around 1972, during the later reign of King Faisal, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority introduced the first 5, 10, 25, and 50 halala coins of Saudi Arabia. These respectively represent 1 and 2 qirsh and ¼ and ½ riyal in value. Each was struck under commission at the Pakistan Mint in Lahore, Pakistan. The 5 halala piece of the series was struck solely in 1972.

The 5 halala coin is composed of cupronickel and measures 2.5 grams in mass, 19.5 millimeters in diameter, and over 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a reeded edge, and like most coins, is round in shape. Both of its rims are raised and undecorated.

The emblem of Saudi Arabia, which consists of a date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) above two crossed swords, is displayed in the middle of the obverse. Printed counterclockwise along the rim above is the full Arabic name of King Faisal, "فيصل بن عبد العزيز آل سعود" (Romanized: Fayṣal ibn 'Abd al-'Azīz Āl Su'ūd), which is typically Anglicized as "Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud". Written in the opposite direction at the periphery below is the title "ملك المملكة العربية السعودية" (Romanized: Malik al-Mamlakah al-'Ārabīyah as-Sa'ūdīyah), which translates to English as "King of Saudi Arabia".

The face value "قرش واحد" (Romanized: qirš wāḥid), meaning "one qirsh", appears on two lines inside a solid circular boundary in the middle of the reverse. Outside the border, it is flanked to the left by the Western Arabic "5" and to the right by the Eastern Arabic "٥", both of which identify a value of 5 halala. Printed counterclockwise along the rim above is another indication of the coin's value, the Arabic inscription "خمس هللات" (Romanized: ḵams halalāt), which translates as "5 halala". The Islamic date of minting is rendered in Eastern Arabic numerals as "١٣٩٢" (1392) near the bottom of the piece. It is followed by the Arabic letter "هـ" (hā'), an abbreviation for "هجرية" (Romanized: Hijrīyyah), which indicates a year in the Islamic calendar.

Around 130,000,000 examples of the coin were manufactured during a single year of production. Only business strikes of this particular type are known to exist.

Coins of Khalid (1977–1980)[]

Standard design (1977–1980)[]

After reigning for over 10 years, King Faisal was unexpectedly assassinated on March 25, 1975. He was immediately succeeded by King Khalid, Faisal's half-brother and the designated Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia since 1965. The first coins of the new monarch, consisting of denominations of 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 halala (respectively ⅕, 1, and 2 qirsh and ¼, ½, and 1 riyal) were introduced from 1976 to 1977. With the exception of the lowest denominated piece, each was struck again in 1980. All six were produced under contract at the Royal Mint of the United Kingdom.

The 5 halala coin is composed of a cupronickel alloy and measures 2.5 grams in mass, 19.5 millimeters in diameter, and over 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a reeded edge, and is round in shape. Both of its rims are raised and undecorated.

The emblem of Saudi Arabia is illustrated in the middle of the reverse. Printed counterclockwise along the periphery above is the full Arabic name of King Khalid, "خالد بن عبد العزيز آل سعود" (Romanized: Khālid ibn 'Abd al 'Azīz Āl Su'ūd), which is often Anglicized as "Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud". Written in the opposite direction at the rim below is the title "ملك المملكة العربية السعودية" (Romanized: Malik al-Mamlakah al-'Ārabīyah as-Sa'ūdīyah).

The face value "قرش واحد" (Romanized: qirš wāḥid) is engraved on two lines inside a solid circular boundary in the middle of the reverse. It is flanked to the left by the Western Arabic "5" and to the right by the Eastern Arabic "٥", both of which identify a value of 5 halala. Written counterclockwise along the periphery above is another indication of the coin's value, the Arabic inscription "خمس هللات" (Romanized: ḵams halalāt). The Islamic date of minting, either "١٣٩٧" (1397) for 1977 or "١٤٠٠" (1400) for 1980, appears horizontally at the bottom of the piece. It is followed by the letter "هـ" (hā') for "هجرية" (Romanized: Hijrīyyah), which is engraved below the date on the 1977 piece and to the left of the date on the 1980 coin.

Around 20,000,000 examples of the coin were manufactured in 1977, and an unknown number were struck in 1980. Only business strikes of this particular type are known to exist.

FAO coin (1978)[]

Saudi Arabia 5 halala 1978 FAO — 1978 commemorative coin

In 1972 and 1973, during the reign of King Faisal, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority issued 25 and 50 halala pieces commemorating the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an agency of the United Nations (UN) tasked with fighting world hunger. These were then followed in 1978 by new 5, 10, and 100 halala coins celebrating the same subject. Each was struck under commission at the Royal Mint of the United Kingdom.

The 5 halala piece is composed of a cupronickel alloy and measures 2.5 grams in mass, 19.5 millimeters in diameter, and over 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a reeded edge, and is round in shape. Both of its rims are raised and undecorated.

The coin's obverse is identical to that of the standard coin of King Khalid. The emblem of Saudi Arabia appears in the center. Printed counterclockwise along the periphery above is the king's Arabic name, "خالد بن عبد العزيز آل سعود" (Romanized: Khālid ibn 'Abd al 'Azīz Āl Su'ūd), and inscribed in the opposite direction at the periphery below is the title "ملك المملكة العربية السعودية" (Romanized: Malik al-Mamlakah al-'Ārabīyah as-Sa'ūdīyah).

The face value "قرش واحد" (Romanized: qirš wāḥid) is engraved on two lines inside a solid circular boundary in the middle of the reverse. It is flanked to the left by the Western Arabic "5" and to the right by the Eastern Arabic "٥", both of which identify a value of 5 halala. Written below is another indication of the coin's value, the Arabic inscription "خمس هللات" (Romanized: ḵams halalāt), which extends clockwise along the border enclosing the qirsh value. The commemorative inscription "ويطعمون الطعام على حبه" (Romanization: Wa yuṭ'imūna al-ṭa'ām 'alā ḥubhī), which is derived from Verse 76:8 of the Quran and translates as "And they give food, out of love for Him" (Maulana Muhammad Ali), is printed counterclockwise along the periphery above. The Islamic date of minting, "١٣٩٨" (1398), and letter "هـ" (hā') for "هجرية" (Romanized: Hijrīyyah) are written in small print along the coin's lower rim. They are followed by the corresponding Gregorian year, "١٩٧٨" (1978), and the letter "مـ" (mīm), which is abbreviated for "ميلادية" (Romanized: Mīlādīyyah).

Around 1,500,000 examples of the coin were manufactured. Only business strikes of this particular type are known to exist.

Coin of Fahd (1988)[]

Saudi Arabia coin Fahd — 1988 coin (obverse)

On June 13, 1982, King Khalid died after reigning for over 7 years. He was succeeded by King Fahd, Khalid's half-brother and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia since 1975. The first series of coins of the new monarch, consisting of denominations of 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 halala, was released by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority in 1988. These pieces would later be followed by a redesigned 100 halala coin in 1999. Each piece was struck under commission at the Royal Mint of the United Kingdom. The 5 halala coin of Fahd was produced solely in 1988.

The piece is composed of a cupronickel alloy and measures 2.5 grams in mass, 19.5 millimeters in diameter, and over 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a reeded edge, and is round in shape. Both of its rims are raised and undecorated.

The emblem of Saudi Arabia appears in the center of the obverse. Printed counterclockwise along the rim above is the full Arabic name of King Fahd, "الملك فهد بن عبد العزيز آل سعود" (Romanized: Al-Malik Fahd ibn 'Abd al-'Azīz Āl Su'ūd), which is traditionally Anglicized as "King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud". Written in the opposite direction at the periphery below is the royal style "خادم الحرمين الشريفين" (Romanized: Khādim al-Ḥaramayn aš-Šarīfayn), which is often translated to English as "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques". First attributed to Saladin (1137–1193), the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, this style was assumed by King Fahd in 1986 to signify Islamic authority. The two mosques refer to the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, both of which are located in Saudi Arabia.

The face value "قرش واحد" (Romanized: qirš wāḥid) is engraved on two lines inside a solid circular boundary in the middle of the reverse. It is flanked to the left by the Western Arabic "5" and to the right by the Eastern Arabic "٥", both of which identify the face value of 5 halala. Written counterclockwise along the periphery above is another indication of the coin's value, the Arabic inscription "خمس هللات" (Romanized: ḵams halalāt). The Islamic date of minting, "١٤٠٨" (1408), appears horizontally at the bottom of the piece, and is followed by the letter "هـ" (hā') for "هجرية" (Romanized: Hijrīyyah).

Around 80,005,000 examples of the coin were manufactured during a single year of production. Most were minted as business strikes, but a handful of uncirculated examples and around 5,000 proofs were also issued. The uncirculated and proof coins were respectively distributed in official mint and proof sets by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority.

Coin of Abdullah (2009)[]

On August 1, 2005, King Fahd died at the age of 84, thus ending his 23-year reign as King of Saudi Arabia. He was immediately succeeded by his half-brother Abdullah, who had been designated Crown Prince since 1982 and had acted as de facto regent of Saudi Arabia since 1996. Under the new king, a new series of 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 halala pieces was introduced by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority from 2007 to 2009. Each was struck under contract at the Royal Canadian Mint in Canada. The 5 halala piece of the series was only manufactured in 2009.

The coin is composed of a cupronickel alloy and measures 2.5 grams in mass, 19.5 millimeters in diameter, and over 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a reeded edge, and is round in shape. Both of its rims are raised and undecorated.

The emblem of Saudi Arabia is displayed in the center of the obverse. Printed counterclockwise along the periphery above is the full Arabic name of King Abdullah, "الملك عبد الله بن عبد العزيز آل سعود" (Romanized: Al-Malik 'Abd Allāh ibn 'Abd al-'Azīz Āl Su'ūd), which is often Anglicized as "King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud". Written in the opposite direction at the periphery below is the royal style "خادم الحرمين الشريفين" (Romanized: Khādim al-Ḥaramayn aš-Šarīfayn).

The face value "قرش واحد" (Romanized: qirš wāḥid) is engraved on two lines inside a solid circular boundary in the middle of the reverse. It is flanked to the left by the Western Arabic "5" and to the right by the Eastern Arabic "٥", both of which identify a value of 5 halala. Written counterclockwise along the periphery above is another indication of the coin's value, the Arabic inscription "خمس هللات" (Romanized: ḵams halalāt). The Islamic date of minting, "١٤٣٠" (1430), appears horizontally at the bottom of the piece, and is followed by the letter "هـ" (hā') for "هجرية" (Romanized: Hijrīyyah).

The total mintage of the coin is currently unknown. Only business strikes of this particular type are reported to exist.

Coin of Salman (2016)[]

Saudi Arabia 5 halala 2016 SAMA — 2016 coin

After reigning for over nine years, King Abdullah died of illness at the age of 90. He was succeeded by his half-brother King Salman, who had served as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia since the death of Prince Nayef (1934–2012) in 2012. Under Salman, a new series of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 halala and 1 and 2 riyals was released by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority on December 13, 2016. Each of the coins was struck at the Monnaie de Paris facility in Pessac, France, and designed by members of the mint staff. To date, they have only been manufactured in 2016.

The 5 halala coin of the series is composed of copper-plated steel and measures 2.4 grams in mass, 17.5 millimeters in diameter, and 1.5 millimeters in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a plain edge, and is round in shape. Both of its rims are raised and undecorated.

According to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, the top and bottom portions of the obverse are decorated with a "recurrent plant motif". The emblem of Saudi Arabia appears in the center of the coin. It is flanked to the left by the Gregorian date of minting, "2016", and to the right by the corresponding Islamic date, "1438". Printed horizontally below is the full Arabic name of King Salman, "الملك سلمان بن عبد العزيز آل سعود" (Romanized: Al-Malik Salmān ibn 'Abd al-'Azīz Āl Su'ūd), which is often Anglicized as "King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud". Written in the same direction above is the royal style "خادم الحرمين الشريفين" (Romanized: Khādim al-Ḥaramayn aš-Šarīfayn).

The "recurrent plant motif" that appears on the coin's obverse is also incorporated on the top and bottom of the reverse. A large numeral "5" representing the coin's face value is engraved in the middle of the piece. Written above is the Arabic value "خمس هللات" (Romanized: ḵams halalāt), and inscribed below is its English equivalent, "FIVE HALALAS".