Jordanian dinar
Encyclopedia
The dinar is the currency of Jordan
. The dinar is divided into 10 dirham
, 100 qirsh
(also called piastre
s) or 1000 fils
.
The Jordanian dinar continued to be used in the West Bank
along with Israeli currency
after Israel took control of it in 1967. During Israel's hyperinflation in the 1970s and 1980s, the Jordanian currency provided stability.
Until 1992, coins were denominated in Arabic
using fils, qirsh, dirham and dinar but in English
only in fils and dinar. Since 1992, the fils and dirham are no longer used in the Arabic denominations and the English denominations are given in dinar and either qirsh or piastres.
For a wider history surrounding currency in the region, see British currency in the Middle East
.
took over note production. 20 dinar notes were introduced in 1977, followed by 50 dinar in 1999. ½ dinar notes were replaced by coins in 1999.
's Special Drawing Rights
(SDRs). In practice, it is fixed at 1 U.S. dollar
= 0.709 dinar most of the time, which translates to approximately 1 dinar = 1.41044 dollars. The Central Bank buys U.S. dollars at 0.708 dinar, and sell U.S. dollars at 0.710 dinar.
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. The dinar is divided into 10 dirham
Dirham
Dirham or dirhem is a unit of currency in several Arab or Berber nations, and formerly the related unit of mass in the Ottoman Empire and Persian states...
, 100 qirsh
Qirsh
Qirsh, Gersh, Grush, Kuruş and Grosi are all names for currency denominations in and around the territories formerly part of the Ottoman Empire. The variation in the name stems from the different languages it is used in and the different transcriptions into the Latin alphabet...
(also called piastre
Piastre
The piastre or piaster refers to a number of units of currency. The term originates from the Italian for 'thin metal plate'. The name was applied to Spanish and Latin American pieces of eight, or pesos, by Venetian traders in the Levant in the 16th century.These pesos, minted continually for...
s) or 1000 fils
Fils (currency)
The fils is a subdivision of currency used in many Arab countries, such as Iraq. "Fils" is the singular form in Arabic, not the plural...
.
The Jordanian dinar continued to be used in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
along with Israeli currency
Israeli currency
Israeli currency may refer to these three items:*Israeli new shekel, the current currency*Old Israeli shekel, used from 1980-1985*Israeli lira , used from 1948-1980...
after Israel took control of it in 1967. During Israel's hyperinflation in the 1970s and 1980s, the Jordanian currency provided stability.
History
Before 1949, Jordan used the Palestinian pound as its currency. The dinar was introduced at par with this pound.Until 1992, coins were denominated in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
using fils, qirsh, dirham and dinar but in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
only in fils and dinar. Since 1992, the fils and dirham are no longer used in the Arabic denominations and the English denominations are given in dinar and either qirsh or piastres.
For a wider history surrounding currency in the region, see British currency in the Middle East
British currency in the Middle East
British involvement in the Middle East began with the Aden Settlement in 1839. The British East India Company established an anti-piracy station in Aden to protect British shipping that was sailing to and from India. The Trucial States were similarly brought into the British Empire as a base for...
.
Coins
Coins were introduced in 1949 in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 fils. The first issue of 1 fils were mistakenly minted with the denomination given as "1 fil". 20 fils coins were minted until 1965, with 25 fils introduced in 1968 and ¼ dinar coins in 1970. The 1 fils coin was last minted in 1985. In 1996, smaller ¼ dinar coins were introduced alongside ½ and 1 dinar coins.| Fifth Series Coins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Diameter | Weight | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | First Minted Year | Common Reference |
| ½ qirsh (piastre) | 21 mm | 4 g | Copper Copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish... plated steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Plain | Hussein bin Talal Hussein of Jordan Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict... facing left |
Lattice design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... ½ |
1996 | |
| 1 qirsh (piastre) | 25 mm | 5.5 g | Bronze Bronze Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal... plated steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Lattice design; Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 1 |
1994 | |||
| 2½ piastres (qirsh) | 22 mm | 3 g | Nickel Nickel Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile... plated steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Milled | Hussein bin Talal Hussein of Jordan Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict... facing left |
Lattice design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 2½ |
1992 | 25 fils |
| 5 piastres (qirsh) | 26 mm | 5 g | Lattice design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 5 |
50 fils | ||||
| 10 piastres (qirsh) | 28 mm | 8 g | Lattice design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 10 |
100 fils | ||||
| ¼ dinar | 26.5 mm Heptagonal |
7.4 g | Brass Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin... |
Plain | Hussein bin Talal Hussein of Jordan Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict... facing left |
Leaf design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... ¼ |
1996 | Rubia1, 25 piastres, 250 fils |
| ½ dinar | 29 mm Heptagonal |
Leaf design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... ½ |
Nuus2, 50 piastres, 500 fils | |||||
| ½ dinar | 29 mm Heptagonal |
9.6 g | Ring: Aluminium bronze Aluminium bronze Aluminium bronze is a type of bronze in which aluminium is the main alloying metal added to copper, in contrast to standard bronze or brass... Center: Cupronickel Cupronickel Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater... |
Plain | Hussein bin Talal Hussein of Jordan Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict... facing left |
Leaf design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... ½ |
1997 | |
| 1 dinar | 32 mm Heptagonal |
Brass Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin... |
Plain | Hussein bin Talal Hussein of Jordan Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict... facing left |
Leaf design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 1 |
1996 | ||
| 1 dinar | 24 mm | Milled | 1998 |
| Sixth Series Coins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Diameter | Weight | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | First Minted Year | Common Reference |
| 1 qirsh (piastre) | 25 mm | 5.5 g | Copper Copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish... plated steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Plain | Abdullah II Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family... facing right |
Lattice design; Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 1 |
2000 | |
| 5 piastres (qirsh) | 26 mm | 5 g | Nickel Nickel Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile... plated steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Milled | Abdullah II Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family... facing right |
Lattice design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 5 |
2000 | 50 fils |
| 10 piastres (qirsh) | 28 mm | 8 g | Lattice design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... 10 |
100 fils | ||||
| ¼ dinar | 26.5 mm Heptagonal |
7.4 g | Brass Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin... |
Plain | Abdullah II Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family... facing right |
Leaf design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... ¼ |
2004 | Rubia1, 25 piastres, 250 fils |
| ½ dinar | 29 mm Heptagonal |
9.6 g | Ring: Aluminium bronze Aluminium bronze Aluminium bronze is a type of bronze in which aluminium is the main alloying metal added to copper, in contrast to standard bronze or brass... Center: Cupronickel Cupronickel Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater... |
Plain | Abdullah II Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family... facing right |
Leaf design, Eastern Arabic numerals Eastern Arabic numerals The Eastern Arabic numerals are the symbols used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet in the countries of the Arab world.... ½ |
2000 | Nuus2, 50 piastres, 500 fils |
- rubia is ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for "piece of four" or "quarter" - nuus is ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for "piece of two" or "half"
Banknotes
In 1949, banknotes were issued by the government in denominations of 500 fils, 1, 5, 10 and 50 dinar. From 1959, the Central Bank of JordanCentral Bank of Jordan
The Central Bank of Jordan is the central bank of Jordan whose main duties include the release and distribution of the Jordanian currency and the maintenance of a national reserve of gold and foreign currencies...
took over note production. 20 dinar notes were introduced in 1977, followed by 50 dinar in 1999. ½ dinar notes were replaced by coins in 1999.
| The Fourth Series of the Central Bank of Jordan http://www.cbj.gov.jo/pages.php?local_type=26&category=7&subcategory=29 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obverse | Reverse | Value | Dimensions | Main Color | Obverse | Reverse | Printed Date | Issued Date | Watermark |
 |
 |
1 dinar | 133 × 74 mm | Lime and green | Sharif Hussein bin Ali Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca Sayyid Hussein bin Ali, GCB was the Sharif of Mecca, and Emir of Mecca from 1908 until 1917, when he proclaimed himself King of Hejaz, which received international recognition. He initiated the Arab Revolt in 1916 against the increasingly nationalistic Ottoman Empire during the course of the... |
Great Arab Revolt Arab Revolt The Arab Revolt was initiated by the Sherif Hussein bin Ali with the aim of securing independence from the ruling Ottoman Turks and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen.- Background :... |
2002 Hijri Islamic calendar The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic... 1423 |
March 30, 2003 | Sharif Hussein bin Ali |
| 5 dinars | 137 × 74 mm | Brick orange | Abdullah bin al-Hussein Abdullah I of Jordan Abdullah I bin al-Hussein, King of Jordan [‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Husayn] عبد الله الأول بن الحسين born in Mecca, Second Saudi State, was the second of three sons of Sherif Hussein bin Ali, Sharif and Emir of Mecca and his first wife Abdiyya bint Abdullah... |
Ma’an Palace | December 22, 2002 | Abdullah bin al-Hussein | |||
| 10 dinars | 141 × 74 mm | Blue | Talal bin Abdullah Talal of Jordan Talal I bin Abdullah 26 February 1909 – 7 July 1972) was the second King of Jordan from 20 July 1951 until forced to abdicate in favour of his son Hussein due to health reasons on 11 August 1952.... |
First Jordanian Parliament Building | Talal bin Abdullah | ||||
| 20 dinars | 145 × 74 mm | Blue | Hussein bin Talal Hussein of Jordan Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict... |
Dome of the Rock Dome of the Rock The Dome of the Rock is a shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. The structure has been refurbished many times since its initial completion in 691 CE at the order of Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik... |
February 2, 2003 | Hussein bin Talal | |||
| 50 dinars | 149 × 74 mm | Pink and brown | King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family... |
Raghadan Palace | Abdullah II bin al-Hussein |
Fixed exchange rate
Since October 23, 1995, the dinar has been officially pegged to the IMFInternational Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
's Special Drawing Rights
Special Drawing Rights
Special Drawing Rights are supplementary foreign exchange reserve assets defined and maintained by the International Monetary Fund . Not a currency, SDRs instead represent a claim to currency held by IMF member countries for which they may be exchanged...
(SDRs). In practice, it is fixed at 1 U.S. dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
= 0.709 dinar most of the time, which translates to approximately 1 dinar = 1.41044 dollars. The Central Bank buys U.S. dollars at 0.708 dinar, and sell U.S. dollars at 0.710 dinar.
External links
- "The Experience of the Jordanian Dinar Pegged to the Dollar", Dar Al-Hayat, October 31, 2005