JEDDAH, 20 May 2007 — The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) will start issuing new riyal bills with advanced security features beginning tomorrow, SAMA Gov. Hamad Al-Sayari announced yesterday. The new bills, representing the fifth issue of the Saudi currency, will be in the dinominations of SR500, SR100, SR50, SR10, SR5 and SR1.
“The new riyal bills will be issued gradually within a timeframe and will begin with SR100 and SR50, which will be available at SAMA branches in adequate quantities from May 21,” the governor said. New bills of SR10 and SR5 will be available from July 15, SR500 from Sept. 13 and SR1 in December after Eid Al-Adha.
The launch of the new bills will not affect the bills currently in circulation and their validity will continue until they are fully withdrawn.
The new SR500 bill with a size of 166mmx74mm and blue in color will have the picture of King Abdul Aziz and the Holy Kaaba on the one side and a scene of the Haram Mosque in Makkah on the other side. The photos of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the green dome of the Prophet’s Mosque appear on the 160mmx72mm SR100 bill, which is red in color.
The new green 50-riyal bill (155mmx70mm) will carry the picture of King Abdullah and the Dome of the Rock on the one side and a general scene of Al-Aqsa Mosque on the other. The new bills of SR10, SR5 and SR1 will also have the picture of King Abdullah.
