Arabic Coin For Identification

I'm fairly sure that this is probably a medal rather than a coin as I can't see a denomination. The date reads 1382-1963, which may mean that it was minted in the latter part of the year and refers to a specific event. (AH 1382 ran from June 4th 1962 to May 25th 1963).

A shot in the dark here, but to me the typography suggests Saudi Arabia.

I agree with Snowman, it is for sure a Yemeni 1 Riyal minted in the year 1963.

Thanks guys! The dimensions and weight are dead on for a 1963 Yemen 1 Riyal...

@alganbagerap: I also was guessing Saudi and was going nuts trying to match pics in refs with coin...

@snowman: Isn't it funny that most of the world is using arabic numbers (0,1,2...) and the arabs decided to use indian(!?) numbers?

Hello and welcome.


The history of the usage of numeral-signs is more complex than that. They were invented in India sometime before 600 AD and copied by Arab-Muslim traders in India, who brought them westwards. The shapes gradually changed over time and distance. The forms the Arabs use today are known as "Eastern Arabic"; their shape had become pretty much fixed by AD 1000. The "Western Arabs" of North Africa used slightly different numbers, and it was these "Arabic" symbols that were adopted and adapted in the late Middle Ages, forming what are now called "Western Arabic" numerals. They first appeared on coins in 1424.

These "western" forms were later copied and re-adopted by the Arabs of North Africa, which is why coins of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria all bear dates in "western" numerals, even though the rest of the coin inscriptions are in Arabic.