I am currently working on (bit by bit) a section of this website with a complete history of Jordan and not just the everyday 100 words that are floating around the Internet, but something a bit more complete and interesting (or at least to me) like our history, rumors, mysteries etc. So this is a sneak peek of my “research” that I thought I should share first hand.
This note is the stuff of legends. It was printed in the mid-70’s and a lot of rumors started about what was written on the arc of the gate to the Dome of the Rock. A zoomed in version is on the left of the image above. The rumor was that the scribbles were a Hebrew inscription that said “Jerusalem is the captial of the state of Israel forever”. The rumor spread like wild fire which was a little significant considering it was a tense era. The Central Bank of Jordan claimed they were simply scribbles made to look like verses from the Holy Quran though they issued another one later on to put a stop to future rumors. The one without any markings is seen below.
Another interesting one is this 10 JD note that is missing the entire backside (except the frames). This includes the English incriptions, the Ajloun Castle, the dates etc. The Central Bank took this one out of circulation pretty quickly.
Now these next two 5 JD notes have one major difference between them and that difference is pretty much a deal breaker when it comes to legitimacy. I’ll let you all play a game of “where’s waldo?” and find them for yourself. Hint: it’s not the colouration.
And now the best for last. In honor of my Blog here is a 20 JD note which was issued in 1992. It is the first time the Black Iris, Jordan’s national flower, makes an apperance on our currency. It is situated to the bottom right of HM King Hussein, God rest his soul.
It was then removed from the 20 JD after his death and the printing of new notes in 2002, but because of my protests (or I’d like to think so) it was elevated to the rank of the 50 JD bill. It is on the top right of the back side of the note.
thanks to mahdi
Come on! Give the minister of finance some credit . He has thousands and thousands of bank notes to sign on his desk; it is only human that he will miss a few…
jameed, good eye 😉
Can you tell me how to they get that “thread” through the bill. That is the only thing I cannot perfect 🙂 { Mr. Secret Service I am only kidding……}
When will Jordan introduce the 100JD note. I am getting sick and tired of carrying all these 50’s.
Luai, they never had the 100 because no one was rich enough to carry it around but i guess the time they are a changing, or at least according to your wallet 😀
Ya 7aram Luai, I feel your pain! 😉 hehe.. I wish I could get sick and tired of carrying 50’s.
This is really cool research! Good luck with the rest of it – I can’t wait to see the end-product.
Very Interesting Subject!
Its really really Good! I enjoyed it. And I think the difference between the 2 5’s is the signature of Minister Of Finance.
I was expecting more entries, like the pound-like dinar, which was withdrawn. And the paper 0.50 JD. God I miss Jordanian money! hehehe, all I do is buy food with them. LOL
omar~
I can read hebrew so I tried to enlarge the 1JD note to see if the scribbles were indeed in hebrew. Unforturnately, it was blurry when zooming-in so I couldn’t see any scribbles 🙁
I don’t like the current notes ,looks like we are in ToraBora or something!
Ya government please change them?!Put Jerash,Petra,Irbid,Aqaba….u know national symbols!And good one…not camels, palms, desert and stuff!
ToraBora? Do you mean Bora-Bora?
The Hebrew note of jordan is it still avilable to collect? and whats the value of 1 in unc?
amexid, probably not. I’ve never seen it myself. Maybe at an exchange shop.
Any idea of the Jordan Mystery notes Value? the hebrew 1? in UNC?
Thanks nas i didnt realize my qestiosn was already answered
Regards
Curious to know if you have any updates to your research. Have you made any progress since 2005?