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B'nai B'rith Klutznick National

Palestine Mandate Coins - Post WWII:  The Meltdown

> Overview
> Decision to Mint
> Design Controversy
> Minting Process
> Post WWII:  The Meltdown
> Modern Israeli Currency
> Kid's Page
> Credits
> Bibliography
When World War II ended in 1945, Europe was in shambles. Two thirds of the European Jewish population had been exterminated by the Nazis. Several hundred thousand Jewish survivors languished in displaced persons camps. They wanted no part of the continent that had literally reduced their families to ashes. With the War over, the Herculean task of implementing the Balfour Declaration began. In November, 1947, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two different countries, a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews accepted the partition plan, the Arabs did not. On May 15, 1948, for the first time in nearly two millennia, the Menorah was rekindled in the land of the biblical patriarchs as the State of Israel was reborn. Following the War of Independence in 1948, Israel took control of new territories, but the Gaza Strip would remain under Egypt’s control while Jordan retained the West Bank. With the British Mandate completely dissolved and new nations created throughout its former area, the Palestine coins, the currency of the realm, would soon be relegated to the dustbin of history.

Israel demonetized the coins on September 15, 1948. On June 9, 1951, Egypt declared the Palestine money no longer legal tender in Gaza. A few weeks later, on June 30, 1951, Jordan followed suit. In the years and decades that followed, the vast majority of the Palestine coins were melted down. Only a mere fraction survived the crucible.

The Palestine Mandate coins and currency became footnotes in history books while the few remaining coins were eagerly sought out by collectors. With the British gone, a new monetary system was developed by the Israeli government. The name given to this new legal tender was adapted from the currency mentioned in Torah: the Shekel.

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  • About Us
    • 175th Anniversary >
      • Timeline
    • Annual Report >
      • 2019 Annual Report
      • 2018 Annual Report
      • 990 Forms
    • Presidents Book
    • Around the World >
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Canada
      • Cuba
      • Europe
      • Israel
      • Latin America >
        • Argentina
        • Brazil
        • Chile, Bolivia and Peru >
          • Anti-Semitism Forum in Santiago 2019
        • Northern Latin America and the Caribbean
        • Organization of American States (OAS)
        • Uruguay and Paraguay
      • South Africa
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        • Allegheny/Ohio Valley
        • Chesapeake Bay
        • Colorado
        • Evergreen
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        • Omaha, Nebraska
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    • Departments & Careers
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      • 2020 B'nai B'rith Leadership Forum
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    • Programs >
      • BBRAVO
      • For Communities >
        • Project H.O.P.E.
      • For Culture and Education >
        • Unto Every Person
        • Center For Jewish Identity
        • Enlighten America
        • Museum and Archives >
          • B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum® Collection
          • Holocaust Art Resource List
          • Palestine Mandate Coins
        • Smarter Kids - Safer Kids
      • For Kids >
        • B'nai B'rith Cares for Kids
        • Diverse Minds
    • Senior Staff
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      • B'nai B'rith Connect Fall 2019 Newsletter
      • Past Connect Events
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    • Take Action!
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      • About None Shall Be Afraid
      • B'nai B'rith on the Front Lines
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      • Take Our Pledge
    • Intercommunal Affairs
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    • Israel and The Middle East
    • United Nations
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  • Israel
    • World Center – Jerusalem >
      • Sally Bein
    • Israel and the Middle East
    • Israel Emergency Fund
    • Fighting BDS
    • History in Israel
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  • Seniors
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