Co-author: Wendy Leyn, Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke), Belgium
Around Christmas 2015 Larry was speaking with Dare Hawkins, a marble friend of ours in Weston, West Virginia, about some questions we had about marbles. Dare is semi-retired and volunteers at the American Museum of Glass in West Virginia which is located in Weston (https://magwv.org/). At that time our friend mentioned a Kuwaiti ½ Dinar note which shows boys playing marbles – a “traditional” game of marbles. The bank note sounded interesting and we are constantly looking for any monies or old postcards with images of marbles.
At any rate, Dare said he thought he could get a note for $10.00. We explored online and learned that the note was still for sale. So, in a later conversation we asked Dare if he could get one for us. We believe that these notes are still available online.[1]
No, Not Indiana Jones![2]
We were remarkably incredulous about what was pictured on this banknote. We spent one year in Kuwait (1985 – 1986) and six more in the United Arab Emirates (1993 – 1997 and 1999 – 2001). We walked thousands of miles in the region, and Larry spent hundreds of hours exploring the desert. One of our favorite places to explore was the desert outside Falaj Al Mualla in the town of the same name, in the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
We visited Bahrain, inner and outer Oman (drove across it), Egypt, and Jordan, to include Petra, and Cyprus to including the Tombs of the Kings near Paphos. We never saw a single child playing any type marble game. And in souqs from Manama to Mutrah in Muscat and the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul we never saw one single marble for sale.
Some of our favorite souqs are in small towns. For example, there is an ancient souq just outside the old fort in Buraimi, Oman. We walked there from Al Ain, UAE and the antiques in the market are centuries old. And the spice market in the small town of Al Dhaid, UAE, is one of a kind. Al Dhaid is on the bend of an ancient dry river and it is a fun place to explore. It seems to us that all of these places would have been ideal for a game of marbles!
In all of Larry’s desert and mountain searching he only ever found one glass marble, and it was in an area where a British expatriate child must have dropped it. While exploring together we never found a single marble. What makes it more odd that we did not see marbles is that we visited and spent time with local families in Oman and the UAE where, if marbles were available like the ones on the note, children should have been playing in the shade of the mango tree.
So this image on what we believe to be is the reverse of the Kuwaiti note remains an historical mystery to us.
About the Note
We could find very little about the note in 2016: we could not find out whether or not the note had been demonetized by the Kuwaiti Central Bank. Larry called the State of Kuwait Embassy in Washington on 17 February 2016 but still could get no further information.
There is another very odd thing about the note. The back of the note, with the little boys playing marbles, is in English including the value 1/2 Denar. The obverse, or front is entirely in Arabic to include the amount. We remember Kuwaiti notes being entirely in Arabic.
On the obverse of the note, or what we believe is the front, is a dhow, a Golden Eagle[3], a Kuwaiti della or coffee pot, and the money changers’ souqs which were in the gold souq just inside Kuwait City’s main gate.
A dhow, as shown in the seal of the State of Kuwait, is a small wooden cargo or commercial vessel which travels all over the Arab Gulf, Bay of Oman, and the Indian Ocean. In some Gulf regions this little workhorse is also call an Al Boom.
A della is a traditional Arabic coffee pot used for centuries to brew and serve Arabic coffee. We are fairly certain that Starbucks doesn’t carry Qahwah arabiyya ! Traditionally, families love to talk and socialize and they use this traditional pot. It can be made of steel, silver, and bronze.
The shape of the della spout is the clue which tells you in which country the pot was made and used. You can almost certainly find antique dellas in any souq which has antiques. Some are exceptionally old. The souq in the bottom right of the note is the gold souq which, as noted, is just inside the ancient wall to the West in Kuwait City.
This is the watch tower at Falaj al Mualla, in the town of the same name, in the Emirate of Umm al Quwain, U.A.E. We found so many artifacts near this tower that we believe it was also used historically as a place of customs for traders before the crossed the river and went into town to trade. Today, the river is dry.
Follow Up On the Note
When we started researching this note[4] again we learned that The Central Bank of Kuwait issued Kuwaiti Dinar banknotes in seven different denominations, including this 1/2 Dinar Kuwait banknote (5th Issue). These notes are part of the Kuwaiti Dinar withdrawn banknotes series. The Central Bank of Kuwait started issuing these 0.5 Kuwaiti Dinar banknotes in 1994. They were withdrawn from circulation in 2015.
So, the notes were issued after we left Kuwait and they were withdrawn just about the time that we were originally researching them.
Playing Marbles on Coins[5]
While we find it odd now, in 2015 we never even considered that some countries may have also minted coins which depict children playing marbles. We really enjoyed researching the Kuwaiti Dinar, and it has hung on our wall ever since. But coins just never entered our minds.
This changed in late November 2023 when our friend and colleague in Belgium, Wendy Leyn, sent us an email with the image of boys and one girl playing marbles on a coin! Six marbles are in play and no one has a marble bag!
About the Coins
These are the details which Mr. Möhring, Curator of the National Numismatic Collection De Nederlandsche Bank, provided about the coinage.
1977. Amsterdam. Commemorative 50 Years of Border Exchange Offices. By Willem Vis. Three children playing with marbles. Rev. eleven provincial coats of arms around TWENTY GULDEN Silver 37mm. (coin strike, reeded edge), Kooij RW0381; . N# 243892 Beautiful / FDC. €12.50 N.B. Produced at the Royal Dutch Mint Utrecht, Netherlands
Note that in this case the children are on the front of the coin while the value is on the reverse.
Willem J. Vis
The Dutch artist William J. Vis has designed more than one coin showing children playing marbles. He “…is one of the most important Dutch coin designers. He was born in 1936. He lived during his entire career in Hazerswoude, The Netherlands. He trained at the Royal Academy of Art and Vrije Academie in The Hague. In 1957 he started to work for a metal company that … produced medals. He left the company he was working for in 1971 and started to work on his own, [and] from then on he … designed lots of coins for many different countries. In 1992 he was elected and admitted as a fellow of the British Society of Numismatic Artists and Designers (SNAD). He passed away in 2007.
Vis’ Designer Mark
His preferred designer mark was a capital letter W within a fish, this referring to his last name that means fish in Dutch. This designer mark can be found on almost all the coins and medals that he designed.”[6]
This fish mark is easy to spot on the coin. It is just behind the boy getting ready to shoot.
The Marble Player[7]
No, this is not a coin. However, this 1910 medal is remarkably similar to coins which came later. And remember, Vis worked a number of years for a metal company which produced medals.This bronze medal is in the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent, Belgium (object number 1911-AG). The artist is Lucien Jean Henri Cariat. The Marble Player is 101.4 mm or about four inches. Cariat’s designer mark is to the left just below the cut off line.
The Museum of Fine Arts tells us about the medal: “This medal depicts a naked boy about to throw marbles. Lucien Cariat presented this medal at the Salon of the Medal during the 1910 World Fair in Brussels.”
Cariat[8]
We could find little about Cariat. We do know that he was born in Paris in 1874 and that he died in 1925. We know that he was a sculptor and medalist who also painted.[9] He was a pupil of Ponscarme, and Thomas. The jury of the Salon of the “Société des Artistes Francais” awarded him a Mention honorable for medal engraving on the 3rd of June 1898. He exhibited at the Salon of 1903. He created many Portrait medals and medallions and in 1904 he was entrusted with the execution of a medal of the St. Hubert-Club of France.[10]
Eric Claus
Eric Claus created a coin in 1972 which reflects the artistry, brilliance, and design features of medal sculpture as exhibited by Cariat (above).According to Mr. Claus’ website he was born on June 3, 1936 in Haarlem [Holland], and he is one of the most important Dutch sculptors of modern times. He manages to captivate the viewer again and again through a wide range of topics.[11] Whether it is the figures from the popular Italian Commedia dell’arte or the great philosophers of the last century, not to mention classical mythology, it is his artistic vision and his craftsmanship that surprise the viewer. Biografie – Eric ClausAbout the CoinThis is a one (1) Euro coin from 1972. Eric Claus designed the coin, which is also called the Sikkens penning. 26 mm in diameter; weight about 10 grams.Looking Back, Looking Forward About Playing MarblesWe learned a lot about marbles while writing this Post. We simply had no idea the extraordinary places where marbles turn up. Marbles have a fantastic history, and we, and Wendy especially, keep researching, corresponding with experts and professionals in every field that you can imagine and all over the world. And we take virtual tours of fabulous museums worldwide.
We all plan to build on what we have learned, and on our growing archives, to learn more new and wonderful things about marble history and mystery. If you have a coin, a note, or a medal which shows marble players, no matter how old or new, please just press the Contact button and tell us all about it! We all look forward to hearing from you!
A Few More Websites which we Recommend
History medals 20th Century 1971 – 1980 @ https://historiek.net/euro-uit-1971-onder-de-hamer/10794/ (1/24/2024) Look at the coin “1971. Proof of a European coin. By Eric Claus. Chairman three naked nodding children….One of the most unusual coins we have seen: Malta 2 Euro “Games” 2020 (herdenkingsmunten.be) (1/12/2024) 2 Euro (Games) – Malta – Numista (1/12/2024)
- You can check @ https://www.leftovercurrency.com/exchange/kuwaiti-dinars/kuwaiti-dinar-withdrawn-banknotes/half-dinar-kuwait-banknote-5th-issue/ (1/5/2024) While the value varies, today a ½ Dinar note would be worth about US$1.64. ↑
- Tirdad Zolghadr, a free-lance curator, has written a fun story with interesting photos named “Work in Progress: Teelya Artisst Yasmeen Alawadi Discovers Some Old Fogies Playing Marbles.” & for something totally different see Salem wasim, “Teelah: Popular Qatar’s Multiplayer Marble Game.” @ https://qatarjust.com/teelah-qatar/ (1/24/2024) Thanks, Wendy, great research! ↑
- Or Golden Hawk? We can’t be positive which. We have seen it published both ways: as a Golden Eagle and a Golden Hawk. Check https://www.kuwaitbirds.org/birds/white-tailed-eagle 1/8/2024 ↑
- @ https://www.leftovercurrency.com/exchange/kuwaiti-dinars/kuwaiti-dinar-withdrawn-banknotes/half-dinar-kuwait-banknote-5th-issue/ 1/7/2024 ↑
- Coins images: The National Numismatic Collection, De Nederlandsche Bank; Special thank you to Pim MöhringCurator of the National Numismatic Collection De Nederlandsche Bank, Amsterdam, and to Wendy for his diligent and dogged research. ↑
- Willem Vis, Coin Designer (worldofcoins.eu) 1/9/2024 ↑
- The Marble Player is in the public domain. However, we want to thank Pascal Ennaert, Coordinator, Meemoo, Flemish Institute for the Archives, Ghent, Belgium, for his support in using this image. https://www.projecttracks.be/en/partners/meemoo-flemish-institue-for-archives (1/10/2024). Also a special thanks to Wendy Leyn for his research and follow-up skills. The collection holder is the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent, Belgium @ https://www.mskgent.be/en/collection/1911-ag 1/10/2024 ↑
- One good source that we found online is https://prazskamincovna.cz/medallist/cariatlucienjeanhenri 1/10/2024 ↑
- See Vue du Mont Saint Michel @ https://www.artnet.com/artists/lucien-jean-henri-cariat/vue-du-mont-saint-michel-rgBdr5Kz24D2OhosR1Fc6Q2 1/10/2024↑
- https://prazskamincovna.cz/medallist/cariatlucienjeanhenri (1/10/2024). This site attributes their information to:
Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D -1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904. We would also recommend that you check Repertoire of French Sculpture, French Sculptures (1500-1960) in North American Public Collections @ See also: https://dev.frenchsculpture.org/index.php/Detail/entities/5157/lang/fr_FR (1/12/2024) - ↑Eric’s son, Camiel Claus, gave us permission via email on 20 January 2024 to use this photograph of his father’s sculpture. Eric’s website is: https://ericclaus.com/biografie/ (1/21/2024). Thank you very much Camiel! And we thank Wendy again for his excellent research & determination.
