Syrian paper money dates to 1919 when it was first issued during the French mandate. Syria became fully independent in 1944. Until 1958 banknotes issued in the country had Arabic on the front of the note, and French on the reverse. With the formation of the United Arab Republic with Egypt in 1958, Syria issued a whole new series of banknotes, the lower denominations up to 10 Pounds were printed in Pakistan, but the higher denominations were printed by Joh Enschede en Zonen in the Netherlands. This 100 Pound design was first issued in 1958, and was re-issued beginning in 1962. This note has a vignette of two young ladies picking cotton. It is P-91b. Kind of unusual to see women, not burqahed etc. on a Middle Eastern note.
