Abu Shanab's currency..!!!

Before you begin reading this post, it must be clarified that any sarcasm in this post is entirely unintentional and its sole purpose is to spread information about the hobby…

The Palestinian newspaper Al-Sarih, in its issue of Saturday, July 1, 1950, carried a report about the new currency units of the All-Palestine Government. The article's author sarcastically wrote that the new Jordanian currency was being used in the Palestinian territories, mentioning that the mil was being replaced by the fils, but he disliked the name fils because it alluded to bankruptcy, God forbid, even remotely.

He also mentioned sarcastically that our "bankrupt" representative had learned that the All-Gaza Government would issue a new currency, denominated in one and a half pounds, to be issued by the Arab National Bank in Cairo, acting as the state bank, and minted in Gaza. It would bear the inscription "Struck in Gaza," which the All-Gaza Government had invaded. He further mentioned that it might feature a picture of the Pasha Director (His Excellency Ahmed Hilmi Pasha, the head of the All-Gaza Government), after he had shaved his long mustache for fear that the public would call it "Abu Shanab" (Mustache Man).

The writer certainly expressed the satirical nature of the professional issuance of these banknotes, but let's imagine together what those new notes would have looked like if they had actually been issued! More importantly, are the writer's sources accurate regarding these banknotes, or is it merely media hype and political satire? Dr. Mazen Ibrahim