50 piastres 1951

Common. The eBay price history provided shows multiple sales in Fair-Fine condition ranging from $16.38 (2012) to $35.55 (2017), with catalogue values for F grade around $20-35, indicating steady market availability and collector accessibility. As a regular issue from a major national bank with a 16-year production span (1935-1951 per external catalog), the P-21e variety was produced in substantial quantities. The note shows no signs of being rare or scarce; it represents a standard, collectible example of its type readily available to numismatists.

This 1951 issue represents a pivotal moment in modern Egyptian history, issued just months before the Egyptian Revolution of July 1952 that would transform the nation's political structure. The front features Tutankhamen, the famous young pharaoh whose tomb discovery in 1922 had captured world imagination, symbolizing Egypt's connection to its ancient heritage during a period of national modernization. The reverse's crescent moon and stars reflect Egypt's Islamic identity, while the decree reference dated to 1898 underscores the National Bank of Egypt's continuity from the colonial era into the post-colonial period.

The obverse features a left-aligned oval portrait medallion containing the profile of Tutankhamen facing right, rendered in fine detail within an ornate scalloped oval frame. The portrait is accompanied by decorative floral and geometric border elements in green and gold tones, with the denomination '50' in Arabic on the right side. A geometric crosshatch security pattern underlies the central area as an anti-counterfeiting measure. The reverse employs a minimalist blue and white color scheme with a large central rectangular cartouche containing the decree information, flanked by symmetrical palmette (lotus flower) motifs in the bottom corners and a prominent crescent moon with stars symbol on the left side—classic Egyptian Islamic imagery. Fine line work throughout both sides demonstrates the high security printing standards of Bradbury Wilkinson, the renowned British security printer.

FRONT: 'الجمهورية الاعلامية المصرية' (Egyptian Republic); 'اصدرتها بنك الاهلي المصري' (Issued by National Bank of Egypt); 'الطابع الهاشمي السيد' (The Hashemite Seal); 'حسين فترشاصاغة' (Hussein Fetershaw Saagha - likely a bank official's name); 'CAIRO 17 MAY 1951' (issue date); Serial number: '59 7615585'; Denomination: '50'. BACK: 'NATIONAL BANK OF EGYPT'; 'PIASTRES'; Denomination: '50'; 'ISSUED UNDER DECREE DATED 25TH JUNE, 1898' (legal authorization for currency issuance).

Intaglio (recess) printing combined with letterpress elements, as evidenced by the fine geometric mesh patterns, intricate line work in the portrait medallions, and crisp text rendering observed in the visual analysis. Bradbury Wilkinson & Company of New Malden, England—one of the world's premier security printers—executed this note, employing multiple color separation plates to achieve the green and multicolor front and blue reverse. The crosshatch background pattern and ornate frame designs represent period-appropriate security printing techniques designed to deter counterfeiting.

This note is identified as Pick P-21e, one of four documented variants (P-21a, P-21b, P-21d, P-21e) of the 50 Piastres 1951 issue catalogued by PMG. The specific variety P-21e is distinguished from earlier variants, likely by signature combinations, date variants, or serial number series. The observed date of 'CAIRO 17 MAY 1951' combined with the signature of the bank official visible on this specimen helps establish its precise cataloging position within the P-21 family. Collectors should note that distinguishing between the four variants requires careful examination of signatures and other platform-specific features.