Yemen (Arab Republic) … but what is it?

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by lordmarcovan, Jan 15, 2026 at 9:20 AM.

  1. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Help with attribution, if you can?

    IMG_6490.jpeg IMG_6491.jpeg
     
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  3. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

  4. willieboyd2

    willieboyd2 First Class Poster

    The coin is 1/8 Riyal - al-Nasir Ahmad bin Yahya
    Numista entry:
    https://en.numista.com/19674

    An interesting coin:

    Qataban and Sheba by Wendell Phillips is a book about archaelogy published in 1955.

    The fuller title is Exploring the Ancient Kingdoms on the Biblical Spice Routes of Arabia.

    Phillips did not have much money but was able to talk people into putting up money for an archaeological expedition to Yemen (South Arabia) in the early 1950's to look for the site of the legendary city of Marib, the Queen of Sheba's capital.

    From the book:

    It added enormously to [the accountant's] bookkeeping, however, for small change was a never-ending nuisance.

    We used Arabian buqshas in seven different coin sizes--half buqshas, buqshas, two buqshas, two and a half buqshas, four buqshas, five buqshas, and ten buqshas. Forty buqshas equaled one Maria Theresa dollar, which was worth half an American dollar.
    The coin pictured is 1/8 riyal or five buqshas.

    :)
     
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  5. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Thank y’all. I fumbled around on Numista very briefly but still was unsure of the denomination and exact type.
     
  6. Hiddendragon

    Hiddendragon World coin collector

    Here's one I have that I identified as 1/16 riyal. Don't know if that's correct. yemen sixteenth riyal.jpg
     
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  7. willieboyd2

    willieboyd2 First Class Poster

    Last edited: Jan 15, 2026 at 12:40 PM
  8. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    My Secret Santa! :)
     
  9. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    This was why I was confused. The multiple denominations with seemingly similar designs and pentagonal shapes. Guess I’ll have to pay attention to the weight and dimensions when looking on Numista, since I can’t read the Arabic script.
     
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