Qatar Central Bank

Historical and Issue Context

A hybrid, not a full polymer note:unlike the fully plastic banknotes of the Guardian® technology (used by Brunei or Australia), this Qatari banknote retains a traditional base made of high-security cotton paper, in which De La Rue integrates a polymer Optiks® band as an additional security element, not as a complete substrate.

The Optiks® window:Inside the dark vertical band is an oval aperture of pure transparent polymer, perceptible to the touch, which combines a translucent segment with brilliant effects impossible to reproduce with conventional commercial printing presses.

Key Details Visible on the Banknote

• Obverse:geometric backgrounds of Islamic influence; On the right, the Coat of Arms of Qatar, with two crossed scimitars guarding a dhow (traditional ship) and an island with two palm trees.
• Reverse:architectural view of the Sheikhs' Mosque, with its distinctive minaret, beside the modern Al-Shaqab Institute building.
• OVD holographic patch:three-dimensional reflective seal in the upper-left corner of the obverse, with national motifs and the numerical value.
• Falcon watermark:in the light, the head of a falcon —symbol of Qatari falconry— next to the numerical value “100” in Arabic spelling.
• Precision Microprinting:ultra-thin background lines formed by repetitive tiny texts, as a barrier against photographic duplication.
• Dual Numbering:serial number printed twice in Arabic font —a vertical block on the left in bright red and another horizontal block on the bottom right in black.
• Color:olive green, purple, pink, and multicolored ocher undertones.

Notes

1. Numista, “Qatar P#26”,en.numista.com/catalogue/note218393.html: listed as a hybrid paper substrate banknote with a polymer Optiks® security band, as distinct from a full polymer banknote such as those with Guardian® technology.

2. Catalog cross-reference: Pick n.° 24 (original 2003 issue) and Pick n.° 26 (revised 2007 variant), Standard Catalog of World Paper Money.