A gold coin minted in 1255 in Egypt. The coin is a rare example of a coin minted during the Abbasid caliphate's stint in Egypt after it was defeated by the Mongols in 1248.
A gold coin minted in 1255 in Egypt. The coin is a rare example of a coin minted during the Abbasid caliphate's stint in Egypt after it was defeated by the Mongols in 1248.
A gold coin minted in 1255 in Egypt. The coin is a rare example of a coin minted during the Abbasid caliphate's stint in Egypt after it was defeated by the Mongols in 1248.
A gold coin minted in 1255 in Egypt. The coin is a rare example of a coin minted during the Abbasid caliphate's stint in Egypt after it was defeated by the Mongols in 1248.

Egypt seizes dozens of rare coins at Cairo airport


Kamal Tabikha
  • English
  • Arabic

Egyptian authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle 34 rare coins out of the country on Wednesday.

The coins seized at Cairo International Airport date back to various periods of Egypt’s history, the country’s antiquities ministry said.

The oldest was a dinar dating back to the Abbasid caliphate and inscribed with the characteristic Kufic script.

A rare Islamic coin seized at Cairo International Airport on Wednesday. The coin was among 34 found by officials in a traveller's luggage.
A rare Islamic coin seized at Cairo International Airport on Wednesday. The coin was among 34 found by officials in a traveller's luggage.

The haul also included 24 circular coins from the Ottoman Empire, some of which were minted during the reign of Sultan Hussein Kamel, who ruled Egypt from 1912 until his death in 1917.

A gold coin, minted in Egypt in 1255, according to the date in its inscription, was also seized.

Eight coins bearing the insignia of Egypt’s penultimate monarch King Fuad I were found, including a gold coin with the ruler's face on it.

A coin bearing the face of Egypt's penultimate monarch, King Fuad I, was also found.
A coin bearing the face of Egypt's penultimate monarch, King Fuad I, was also found.

Another coin dates back to the reign of Egypt’s last king, Farouk I and also features his likeness.

Antiquities ministry officials at the airport received information from customs officers at Terminal 2 that a number of coins were found in a traveller's luggage.

The traveller was arrested and the coins seized.

The seizure was part of efforts to enforce the country’s antiquities law, which forbids private ownership of national artefacts.

Authorities also found a gold coin with an inscription showing it was minted in 1255, in Egypt.
Authorities also found a gold coin with an inscription showing it was minted in 1255, in Egypt.

Dr Bassam El Shamaa, a prominent Egyptian historian, told The National that coins are by far the most smuggled artefacts worldwide.

“In the business of smuggling and selling antiquities around the world, including in Egypt, size is everything. The small size enables smugglers to do their job in a much easier and more discreet manner,” he said.

He also said that in contrast to their small size, coins can often fetch hefty sums of money at artefact auctions worldwide.

A famous coin dating back to the year 77 of the Hijri calendar was sold in 2020 at a London auction house for more than $400,000.

The biog

Siblings: five brothers and one sister

Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota

Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym

Favourite place: UAE

Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera

What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books

HIV on the rise in the region

A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.

New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.

Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.  

Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WandaVision

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany

Directed by: Matt Shakman

Rating: Four stars

UAE squad

Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.

UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Directed by: Craig Gillespie

Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry

4/5

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')

Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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The%20specs
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Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL

Al Nasr 2

(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)

Shabab Al Ahli 1

(Jaber 13)

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
All%20We%20Imagine%20as%20Light
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Terminator: Dark Fate

Director: Tim Miller

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis 

Rating: 3/5

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Overview

Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu

Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal

Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10

ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons

Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium

The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page

 

Hawks

Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar

Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish

 

Falcons

Coach: Najeeb Amar

Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh

 

 

Updated: August 18, 2021, 5:05 PM