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Saudi nationalism can be traced to 1745, when Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab began preaching the purification of Islam of external and modern influences. He received the support of Muhammad ibn Sa'ud of Dir'iyah, and the resulting Wahhabiyah movement spread across the Arabian Peninsula. By 1904 Ibn Sa'ud ('Abd al-'Aziz II) had recovered all of the original Sa'udi territory in central Arabia (the Najd). The British held Sa'udi lands as a protectorate after conquering them from the Ottomans in 1915, during the First World War. The Hejazi Kingdom was established on June 10, 1916, and the Sultanate of Nejd and its Dependencies was established on August 22, 1921. Jebel Shammar was incorporated into Nejd on November 2, 1921, and Asir was incorporated into Hejaz on November 20, 1930. Hejaz and Nejd were united to create Saudi Arabia on September 22, 1932.

During most of its history, Saudi Arabia imported coins from surrounding countries. Some coins were issued locally in imitation of foreign coins, but they were minted infrequently. The first Islamic coins were minted in Saudi Arabia in 723 and coins continued to be minted periodically under the 'Abbasid Caliphate. The Sharifs of Mecca issued some coins beginning in 1253, but the Fatimids of Egypt, Qarmatids of Bahrain, Seljugs of Iran and Iraq, the Ayyubids and the Mamluks of Egypt and the Ottomon Turks all issued coins during the times when they controlled parts of Saudi Arabia.

Silver Maria Theresa Thalers (XMTT) and British Gold Sovereigns (GBP) were used in the interior of Arabia before the establishment of Nejd and Hejaz with 1 Gold Sovereign (Pound) equal to 5 Maria Theresa Thalers. The Arabian National Bank of Hedjaz had banknotes printed, but they were not issued. Both Nejd and Hejaz minted local coins of lower denomination with 1 Riyal, equal to a Maria Theresa Thaler, divisible into 100 Piastres or 400 Para.

This situation created a bimetallic monetary system based upon British Gold Sovereigns and silver Riyals. The silver Saudi Arabian Riyal (SAA) was equal in weight to Maria Theresa Thalers until 1936 (19.96565 grams) and the Saudi Sovereign Riyal (SAS) was equal in weight to Indian Rupees (10.6918 grams) after 1936. British gold Sovereigns and the Silver Riyal fluctuated in value against each other. The Sovereign was equal to 11 Ghirish in 1928, 110 Ghirsh in 1931 and 440 Ghirsh in 1952. The Ghirsh

The Saudi Riyal (SAR) monetary system was reformed on October 22, 1952, creating a single currency originally backed by Saudi gold Soverigns equivalent to the British gold Sovereign. Specie money continued to be the basis of the Saudi monetary system until December 31, 1959 when the rising price of silver forced the Saudi government to devalue the Riyal and introduce a new monetary system based on fiat money issued by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. Until then, only 'Pilgrim Receipts' had been issued by the Saudi Central Bank The Riyal is divisible into 20 Ghirsh or 100 Halala.

Here is a 5 Riyal note printed in (AH1379) 1977. This note is green and brown on multicolored underprint. The obverse features King Faisal to the right and as a watermark. The center of the obverse shows an irrigation canal, while the reverse of the note shows a dam. The bottom center of the obverse of this note shows an incorrect Khamsa, or number five.

• Krause# Pick-17a

This note is valued at 1 Riyal and is dated (AH1379) 1948. The note is dark brown on multicolored underprint. The obverse features the portrait of King Fahd in the center and a 7th century gold dinar on the left. The reverse depicts a landscape vista with a mountanous background. This note carries a watermark of King Fahd.

• Krause# Pick-21d
• Signature: 6 - Hamad Saud al-Sayyari / Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf

Here is a 1 Riyal note dated (AH1428) 2007.

• Krause# Pick-Not Yet Listed