Description and research notes
This note represents the finalized circulation variety of the Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars issue, classified as Pick 37b and dated to the 1972 production phase. It differs from the earlier Pick 37a issue by the addition of an Arabic legal inscription along the lower margin, bringing the design into alignment with the fully standardized Central Bank legal formula.
The addition of the inscription reflects administrative consolidation rather than a redesign of the note’s security or artistic elements. The portrait die of Omar al-Mukhtar, the guilloche framework, underprint palette, and watermark usage remain unchanged, confirming that the inscription was applied as a typographic layer without disturbing the intaglio engraving.
Under close examination, the distinction between intaglio and typography is evident. The portrait retains its pronounced relief and tactile depth, while the added inscription appears flatter within the design field, a visual cue that the modification occurred at the print-layer level rather than through re-engraving. This makes Pick 37b an instructive example of how regulatory text could be integrated into an existing security design with minimal technical disruption.
The finalized inscription marks the transition from provisional early circulation to a fully normalized issued form, coinciding with the stabilization of Libya’s post-revolution monetary administration. While Pick 37a captures urgency and rapid deployment, Pick 37b represents institutional maturity and regulatory closure.
As with the earlier variety, the note circulated normally and was subject to wear, redemption, and replacement. High-grade examples with original paper quality preserve the clarity of both the intaglio portrait and the added inscription, allowing precise study of the production sequence.
When collected alongside Pick 37a, this issue provides a clear, two-step record of how a single denomination evolved during its first years of circulation. The change illustrates how political, legal, and administrative considerations could be incorporated into an established security design without altering its core structure.