1916 Egyptian Pound

The 1916 Egyptian Pound was struck from 21.6 grams of pure gold, a weight that mirrored the British sovereign to ease international trade during World War I.

That design choice reflected Egypt's status as a British protectorate. The obverse featured the portrait of Sultan Hussein Kamel, who ruled briefly after the country severed ties with the Ottoman Empire. On the reverse, Arabic script announced its value, a nod to local traditions amid foreign influence.

Exact mintage figures are murky; records from the Cairo Mint may have been lost in later conflicts. What we know is that these coins circulated widely in Egypt's early kingdom period, from 1916 to 1922.

Producing such coins in wartime wasn't without irony. The British oversaw the minting, turning Egyptian gold into currency that funded their own war efforts.