25 IQD #635

Front

Mustansiriya Madrasah in Baghdad, one of the oldest Islamic universities in the world. Built in 1227 CE (623 AH) during the Abbasid Caliphate under Caliph al-Mustansir, it served as a center of Islamic learning and education for centuries. The madrasah represents Iraq's historical role as a center of scholarship and civilization in the medieval Islamic world, featuring distinctive Islamic architectural elements with arched iwans and decorative brickwork around a central courtyard.

Back

Saddam Hussein (1937-2006), President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. He led Iraq through the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) and the Gulf War (1990-1991); his image appeared on Iraqi currency throughout his rule as part of a personality cult. The vignette shows a romanticized scene of mounted horsemen, evoking historical Arabian cavalry and military themes that were prominent in Ba'athist iconography during his regime.

History

This note belongs to the third issue of Iraqi dinars under Saddam Hussein's regime, circulated from 1986 to 1990. The series was printed during and after the Iran-Iraq War. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein's government, these notes were demonetized and replaced by a new currency series that removed his portrait. Notes from this era featuring Saddam Hussein are now collectible artifacts of the Ba'athist period. The 25 dinar denomination was a mid-range note during this period of relative currency stability before the severe devaluation that followed the 1991 Gulf War and subsequent sanctions.