Saudi Arabia - ARAMCO 1 Pound

Here's a very nice example of the Saudi Arabian listed U.S. Mint (Philly) issue for the concession payment by ARAMCO Oil Co. Minted in 1947 despite NGC listing a date of 1945 (as the 4 Pound was). Mintage figures from the mint indicate 121,364 but most were melted. While not counterfeited in near the quantity of the 4 Pound (see listing) ones that are fake may show a wire edge. The genuine small discs have a pebbling or dot effect within the closed letters of 'D and/or P'. There are no fine lines to indicate authenticity as there are on the 4 Pd. Fascinating issue - watch this space for links to my definitive article on these, arguably, U.S. trade coins.
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Here's a link to an article about these scarce and historical trade coin discs:
USA Saudi Arabian Gold Discs - Boosel: [ link ]
ALSO: an ANA "Numismatist" article from the Oct 2020 (P.67) about these and a counterfeit 4 Pound submitted for encapsulation at this: [ link ]
The original 'discovery' article from Boosel in the ANA's "The Numismatist" Jul. 1959, p. 805; here's the: [ link ]
This information from Roma Numismatics (London): Saudi Arabia, time of Abd al-'Aziz ibn al-Sa'ud Bullion-issue AV 1 Pound. United States mint, Philadelphia, 1947. Eagle facing with wings spread, head to left, clutching branch and bundle of arrows, with coat-of-arms on breast; mint around; all within assayer-style central incuse medallion / Fineness and weight specifications in three lines. KM 35; Friedberg 191. 8.00g, 22mm, 12h.
Struck in Philadelphia by the United States Mint, bullion-issue 1 Pounds such as the present piece saw limited circulation in Saudi Arabia in the late 1940's along with a larger 4 Pounds. An unusual issue, these bullion pieces were made by the US Government for use by the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco).
Aramco were required to pay $3 million in royalties each year to the Saudi Government in gold, though throughout the Second World War payment was accepted in US currency. At the end of the war the Saudi Government insisted the gold payments resumed, but the price of gold having risen dramatically Aramco were forced to ask the US Government for help who, faced with the prospect of reduced access to Middle Eastern oil, caused the minting of these rare bullion pieces in Philadelphia.
Another article about these at COIN WEEK: [ link ]