Kelantanese dinar
Encyclopedia
The Kelantanese dinar is a currency issued by the Government of the Malaysian state of Kelantan
, which purportedly is in conformance with the concept of the Islamic gold dinar
. The Kelantanese dinar is available in the form of coins of several denominations. These coins were first struck in 2006 by Mariwasa Kraftangan of Kuala Kangsar
, Perak
, a local producer of souvenirs and replicas of objects of art and culture, and launched by the state of Kelantan on 20 September 2006. The Government of Kelantan had suggested that the coins had the status of legal tender
, and the state-issued dinar sold out quickly, with many buyers seeing the gold dinar as a better choice than fiat money.
However, the federal Malaysian government in Kuala Lumpur
denied that the Kelantanese dinar had a legal-tender status, stating that the buyers had been misled by the Kelantanese government. The only currency that is legal tender in Kelantan is the Malaysian ringgit
. According to the Malaysian constitution, ninth schedule, list I sub 7.a, the states of Malaysia do not have the right to issue coins. In fact, the federal government had already declared publicly in 2006, in response to the plan announced by the Kelantanese government and before any of the coins were minted, that state governments could not issue their own currency.
The gold dinar has seen significant use in the country. The creator of the currency has launched a international campaign to bring the currency beyond the borders of Kelantan. Proponents of the currency describe it as being in accordance with the Quran and also the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad.
The coins have a metallic composition of 22 carat
gold, as required to be in conformance with the modern Islamic gold dinar. There are 3 denominations – 1/4, 1/2, and 1 dinar. Additionally, in 2007 a gold 2-dinar coin was struck to commemorate the birthday of the Sultan of Kelantan
.
, United Arab Emirates
has been given the authority by the Government of Kelantan to strike this series' new coins.
The denominations that have now been struck are as follows;
Silver - 1 dirham, 2, 5, 10, and 20 dirhams.
Gold - 1/2 and 1 dinar, 2, 5, and 8 dinars.
The obverses depict a monogram in Arabic within a decorative border.
The reverses of these pieces depicts the full Kelantanese Coat-of-Arms.
These coins are also sold in Kelantan as of 12 August 2010, but the Malaysian ringgit
remains the only legal tender.
On 25 August 2011 Kelantanese government collected and distributed zakat
from people in Kelantanese dinars and dirhams in a public ceremony officiated by Chief Minister Dato Nik Aziz Nik Mat
.
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, which purportedly is in conformance with the concept of the Islamic gold dinar
Islamic gold dinar
The modern Islamic gold dinar is a currency that aims to revive the historical gold dinar which was a leading coin of early Islam. They consist of minted gold coins, Dinar, and silver coins, Dirham.-Dinar history:According to Islamic law, the Islamic dinar is a coin of pure gold weighing...
. The Kelantanese dinar is available in the form of coins of several denominations. These coins were first struck in 2006 by Mariwasa Kraftangan of Kuala Kangsar
Kuala Kangsar
Kuala Kangsar is the royal town of Perak, Malaysia, located at the downstream of Kangsar River, where it flows into the Perak River. It is the main town in the administrative district of Kuala Kangsar.-History:...
, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
, a local producer of souvenirs and replicas of objects of art and culture, and launched by the state of Kelantan on 20 September 2006. The Government of Kelantan had suggested that the coins had the status of legal tender
Legal tender
Legal tender is a medium of payment allowed by law or recognized by a legal system to be valid for meeting a financial obligation. Paper currency is a common form of legal tender in many countries....
, and the state-issued dinar sold out quickly, with many buyers seeing the gold dinar as a better choice than fiat money.
However, the federal Malaysian government in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
denied that the Kelantanese dinar had a legal-tender status, stating that the buyers had been misled by the Kelantanese government. The only currency that is legal tender in Kelantan is the Malaysian ringgit
Malaysian ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen...
. According to the Malaysian constitution, ninth schedule, list I sub 7.a, the states of Malaysia do not have the right to issue coins. In fact, the federal government had already declared publicly in 2006, in response to the plan announced by the Kelantanese government and before any of the coins were minted, that state governments could not issue their own currency.
The gold dinar has seen significant use in the country. The creator of the currency has launched a international campaign to bring the currency beyond the borders of Kelantan. Proponents of the currency describe it as being in accordance with the Quran and also the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad.
The coins have a metallic composition of 22 carat
Carat (purity)
The karat or carat is a unit of purity for gold alloys.- Measure :Karat purity is measured as 24 times the purity by mass:where...
gold, as required to be in conformance with the modern Islamic gold dinar. There are 3 denominations – 1/4, 1/2, and 1 dinar. Additionally, in 2007 a gold 2-dinar coin was struck to commemorate the birthday of the Sultan of Kelantan
Sultan of Kelantan
The Sultan of Kelantan is the constitutional head of Kelantan state in Malaysia. The current sultan, Muhammad V, is the 29th Sultan of Kelantan. He is the figurehead of Islam in the state and the source of all titles, honours and dignities of its people....
.
Kelantan's 2010 gold and silver coin issue
The World Islamic Mint of Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
has been given the authority by the Government of Kelantan to strike this series' new coins.
The denominations that have now been struck are as follows;
Silver - 1 dirham, 2, 5, 10, and 20 dirhams.
Gold - 1/2 and 1 dinar, 2, 5, and 8 dinars.
The obverses depict a monogram in Arabic within a decorative border.
The reverses of these pieces depicts the full Kelantanese Coat-of-Arms.
These coins are also sold in Kelantan as of 12 August 2010, but the Malaysian ringgit
Malaysian ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen...
remains the only legal tender.
On 25 August 2011 Kelantanese government collected and distributed zakat
Zakat
Zakāt , one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the giving of a fixed portion of one's wealth to charity, generally to the poor and needy.-History:Zakat, a practice initiated by Muhammed himself, has played an important role throughout Islamic history...
from people in Kelantanese dinars and dirhams in a public ceremony officiated by Chief Minister Dato Nik Aziz Nik Mat
Nik Aziz Nik Mat
Dato' Bentara Setia Haji Nik Abdul Aziz bin Nik Mat is a Malaysian politician, a Muslim ulama and currently the Menteri Besar of the state of Kelantan...
.