Its share price rose 9% to 257.5p on Monday (7 July) even though the company has not yet signed a formal contract. Early on Tuesday it had risen further to 266.3p.

After the war in Iraq was declared over, the US administration was forced to start re-issuing dinars picturing Saddam Hussein. But the new currency, which will be circulated in October, is said to be more like the Swiss dinar currently used in Kurdish-controlled parts of the country.

De La Rue will lead a "consortium of global currency specialists" to manufacture the banknotes. Negotiations are still in the early stages and it is still to be decided whose images will feature on the currency .