5 EGP #162

Front

The Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, built 876-879 CE by Ahmad ibn Tulun, the Abbasid governor of Egypt. It is one of the oldest mosques in Cairo and the largest in area, featuring a distinctive spiral minaret modeled after the Great Mosque of Samarra. The mosque represents an important example of Abbasid architecture and remains an active place of worship, honored on Egyptian currency as a symbol of the nation's Islamic heritage and architectural legacy.

Back

Ancient Egyptian reliefs depicting agricultural and daily life scenes from pharaonic times, including farming, harvesting, and craftwork. The central relief shows a standing figure in traditional ancient Egyptian style, flanked by horizontal friezes showing laborers engaged in agricultural activities. These scenes celebrate Egypt's ancient civilization and the importance of the Nile Valley's agricultural productivity that sustained pharaonic society for millennia.

History

This 5 Egyptian pound note belongs to the long-running series issued by the Central Bank of Egypt from 1978 through 2017. The design pairs Islamic architectural heritage (the Ibn Tulun Mosque) with pharaonic civilization motifs, reflecting Egypt's dual identity as inheritor of both ancient Egyptian and Islamic traditions. The series was gradually replaced beginning in 2016-2017 with new polymer notes featuring enhanced security features. These paper notes remain a familiar sight but have been largely withdrawn from active circulation.