Bahrain 500 Fils 1968 to 1983

Bahrain, as small island nation in the Persian Gulf, became independent in 1971 but had been minting coins a few years prior to that, since 1965. The Sheikh on the front of this coin is Isa Bin Salman, ruler of Bahrain between 1961 and 1999.

By 1968 most countries in the world had stopped minting coins in silver, replacing them with copper-nickel look-alikes. But this 500 fils is different. It contains 0.4707 troy ounces of silver. The same pattern was used again in 1983, but with more silver: 0.537 troy ounces. Sometimes people gold-plate silver coins, which makes them look spiffy but adds no value. In fact, gold plating a fully uncirculated silver coin subtracts value.

The value of these coins is very close to silver value. For a 1968 coin, find the base value (BV) by multiplying the current price of silver by 0.4707. Today's silver price is $18.50 US dollars per troy ounce. (Tomorrow the price of silver will be different, look it up at kitco.com.) The BV is then 0.4707 x 18.50 = $8.70.

Circulated coins trade near silver value, but well preserved and uncirculated coins can bring a little more, as follows

COINS DATED 1368/1968
worn: BV
average circulated: BV
well preserved: BV + $10
fully uncirculated: BV + $15

COINS DATED 1403/1983
worn: BV
average circulated: BV
well preserved: BV + $5
fully uncirculated: BV + $30

There is also a gold 50 dinars coin which looks very much like the silver 500 fils. The inscription ISA TOWN is replaced with the inscription HAMAD TOWN on the gold coins. The gold coin contains 0.9422 troy ounces of gold which, at today's prices, is worth about $1225.
cqLastNotify