.Lebanon - 100000 Livres Polymer Commemorative Banknotes Celebrating The Centennial Of The Creation Of Greater Lebanon

Lebanese Republic

الجمهورية اللبنانية

Banque Du Liban

Currency - Livre/Pound (LBP) 

This commemorative polymer note of 100000 livres was issued on 07.12.2020 to celebrate the Centennial of the Creation of Grand Liban (Greater Lebanon) 1920-2020. The 100000 livres is the largest denomination of banknotes circulating in the country.

Lebanon was once occupied by the Ottomans empire for more than 400 years. During the early 1900s, the Ottoman empire ruled part of Europe, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Iraq and parts of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The Ottoman empire collapsed following the end of the First World War (1914-1918) with its territories split up under the Treaty of Sevres. On 01.09.1920, the State of Lebanon was declared under the League of Nations Mandate whereby the French temporarily took control of Lebanon and Syria and both Palestine and Iraq went to the British. Under the French rule, General Henri Joseph Eugene Gouraud (b.1867-1946) then split Lebanon and Syria into two nations as per today. 

On 22.11.1943, Lebanon declared its independence and the French mandate over Lebanon ended on 24.10.1945. On 24.10.1946, France withdrew all its forces from Lebanon.

Design

Front - Baptistery Crusaders of St John Church The Baptist, Al-Abed Nejmeh Square Clock Tower (Beirut), Beyrouth Cedar tree;

Reverse - Rawsheh rock near Beyrouth, Phoenician ship

The designs of the note depicts mainly famous landmarks in Beirut.  Like all modern banknotes previously issued, the front of the note is printed with Arabic script and on the back is printed in French text.

Dimensions - 146 x 82mm

One Hundred Thousand Livres

Dated 2020, Baptistery Crusaders of St John Church The Baptist, Al-Abed Nejmeh Square Clock Tower (Beirut), Beyrounth Cedar tree

Reverse - Rawsheh rock near Beyrouth, Phoenician ship

.Footnote👀

If you lived in these countries or once a resident of say Brazil, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and few other countries then you will know the feel of living in a country that has a collapsed currency, and Lebanon is one of them now. The Lebanese pound collapsed in September 2019 due to the country's recession, plummeted in foreign reserves and rising inflation. In 1997, the Lebanese pound was pegged at 1,507 against the greenback. Today, the exchange rate is 3000+ pounds to a dollar. The black market rate is even much higher as people are desperate for the US dollar. Needless to say, if you have savings in your bank account, you would have lost more than 50% of its value and even if you have them in USD with a local bank, you are still unable to access the funds as banks have placed restrictions on withdrawal due to shortage of USD supply. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, banks are unable to import foreign currencies into the country to meet the demands.

Lebanon - 10000 Livres 1998 P76 Commemorative

Is this a commemorative note? Some said yes but others said no. I have posted this note as a commemorative note issued in 1998 celebrating the country Martyrs' Day (as claimed by some). Whilst this note has no commemorative text printed on, to celebrate this occasion, it should be noted that not all commemorative notes issued have specific text added to the design, as banknotes have been issued in such manner to celebrate special commemorative occasion by many countries. Martyrs' Day in Lebanon is celebrated on 6th of May. It started on 06.05.1916 when Ahmed Djemal Pasha, an Ottoman military leader ordered the execution of several Lebanese Nationalists in Beirut at the Burj Square. This square has since been renamed the Martyrs' Square. Apart from Lebanon, the Martyrs' Day is also celebrated in Syria for the similar reason as Syrian Nationalists were also executed on order of Ahmed Djemal Pasha in Damascus at the Marjeh Square on the same day in 1916. The design on the reverse depicts a patriotic monument. This monument was inaugurated on 6.3.1960 by the Italian sculptor Renato Marino Mazzacurati at the Martyrs' Square. I could be wrong, but this is the first note that this monument has appeared on a banknote in Lebanon.

Ten Thousand Livers

Dated 1998

Reverse

Lebanon - 50,000 Livre Lebanese Army 70th Anniversary

Fifty Thousand Livre issued 1.8.2015 (1945-2015)

Dated 2015

 Front - Army crest, soldier holding the Lebanese flag, shadows of two soldiers

Reverse

Back - in vertical format. Shadow of a soldier saluting

The Lebanese Army (Lebanese Armed Forces) Day is celebrated on the 1st of August each year. Whilst this note was issued to celebrate the 70th Anniversary (1945-2015), the Lebanese Armed Forces were well in existence before 1945. Prior to 1.8.2015, the Lebanese Armed Forces were under the control of foreign power (the French government) and was handed over to the Lebanese National government from 1.8.1945, and since then celebrating this day as their anniversary annually.

Lebanon - 50,000 Livres Polymer Commemorative Note 2014

Fifty Thousand Livres 

Dated 2014, P97

Reverse

Lebanon 50,000 Livres Polymer Commemorative note. This new 50,000 Livres commemorative polymer note was released on 15.05.2014 to commemorate the country’s central bank 50^thAnniversary 1964-2014 – Banque Du Liban. The bank was established on 1.8.1963 and became fully operational on 1.4.1964. The bank is currently headed by the Governor Raid Salameh who was appointed to the post since 1.8.1993 on a six year term basis. This is his third term serving as the Governor of the central bank. This 50000 Livres is the second polymer note issued by the bank. Both polymer notes issued were printed by De La Rue.

Lebanon - 50,000 Livres Polymer Commemorative 2013

 Fifty Thousand Livres

Dated 2013, P96r

Lebanon 50,000 Livres (LL) Polymer Commemorative. This is Lebanon first polymer note issued on 22.11.2013 to celebrate the country's 70th year of independence from the French. Lebanon declared its independence in 1943 whilst the French were still under Nazi occupation. The design of this note, with one side is in Arabic and the other side is in French. To the locals, this note raised a fair bit of controversial including the design of the note. By examining the note on hand, I can understand how the locals felt. Some locals even said that the note looks more like a 70 Livres than a 50,000 Livres value. In addition to this, it also has a spelling error with the text where the word 'Independence'' is spelled in English rather than in French (Independance). Despite the minor error, but still significant to the locals, the central bank decided to release the note for this special occasion celebration. This is a limited edition issue of 50,000 notes, with two prefixes printed ie normal D/00 and replacement prefix of D/99. It appears that all notes have been sold out on the day of release. It is believed that the bulk of these notes will ended up in collector hands as collectable souvenir.

Reverse