Sultan Said bin Sultan's reign began after a period of conflict and succession competition that followed the death of his father Sultan bin Ahmad in 1804. He is often referred to as the Lion of Oman, as one of the greatest Sultans of Oman. He moved the capital to Zanzibar, where the Omani Empire reached the peak of its economy and power. He had a total of 36 children. After his death in 1856, his empire was divided between his third and sixth sons.

Sultan Said was the ruler of Oman from 1932 to 1970. During this period, Oman's coinage underwent significant changes. At the beginning of Sultan Said's reign, Oman's coinage was traditionally done in small local workshops. The coins of the money were mainly made of silver and depicted the sultan's portrait and title. In 1939, Sultan Said entered into a contract with the British mint, the Royal Mint, and the Bombay Mint. Under the treaty, these mints began minting Omani coins. Omani coins struck by British mints were typically heavier and thicker than traditional Omani coins. The sultan's portrait and title were depicted in a larger size. In 1959, Sultan Said introduced the Omani rial as the official currency of the country. The Omani Rial was made of silver and featured the face and title of the Sultan. During the reign of Sultan Said, Oman's coinage underwent significant changes. The traditional way of minting money in small local workshops was replaced by modern minting installed in large industrial plants. In addition, the Omani currency was also renewed, the rial made of silver was replaced by the rial made of bronze and aluminum.