Silver prices increased during Word War II since silver was used for military purposes thus the actual value of silver in coins became higher than the face value . People started saving coins or melting and trading them and most silver coins disappeared . As a result the Egyptian government was forced to re-issue the already withdrawn soft worn coins . The military governor issued the decree number 47 prohibiting the public from saving silver coins . The summary of the military order number 47 is as follows

We Maher Pasha decided the following

Selling or buying of circulated silver coins at a price other than their face value is prohibited . Coin melting is forbidden . Withdrawal of circulating silver coins for the purpose of saving is also prohibited

Whoever violates the provision of the previous article will be imprisoned for period of six monthes and fined the equivalent of ten times the value of money in question or either

Ali Maher

Cairo , 8th of July 1940 AD

Egypt was not able to mint silver coins because of war conditions transportation was not safe . As a result the Egyptian government passed law number 50 of year 1940 AD to issue currency notes with denomination of five and ten piastres