The dinar (; sign: £) was the currency of South Arabia (1965–1967), South Yemen (1967–1990), and Yemen (1990–1996) after Yemen's monetary unification on 1 July 1990.
Alongside the North Yemeni rial, it was one of the two official currencies used in Yemen until 11 June 1996. It was subdivided into 1000 fils (فلس).
History The dinar was introduced in 1965 as the South Arabian dinar, replacing the East African shilling at a rate of 1 dinar = 20 shillings, thus setting the dinar initially equal to one pound sterling, it also used the pound sign as its Latin script symbol. It was renamed to the dinar after the independence of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) in 1967. The dinar was replaced with the Yemeni rial following unification with the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) in 1990. Dinar banknotes remained legal tender during a transitional period until 1996. The exchange rate during that period was 26 rials to one dinar.
For a wider history surrounding currency in the region, see British currency in the Middle East.
Coins In 1965, coins (dated 1964) were introduced for both the Federation of South Arabia and the Protectorate of South Arabia in denominations of 1, 5, 25 and 50 fils. The 1 fils was struck in aluminium, the 5 fils in bronze and the higher two denominations in cupro-nickel.
In 1971, coins were issued in the name of "Democratic Yemen", changing to the "People's Democratic Republic of Yemen" in 1973. That year, aluminium fils were introduced, followed by aluminium 10 fils and cupro-nickel 100 and 250 fils in 1981. The 10 fils was scalloped shaped whilst the 100 fils was octagonal. ImageValuedate Obverse Reverse 10 fils1981 50 fils1964 50 fils1979 100 fils1981 250 fils1981
Banknotes On 1 April 1965, the South Arabian Currency Authority introduced notes in denominations of 250 fils, 500 fils, 1 dinar, and 5 dinars. A 10 dinar note was issued on 1 July 1967. ImageValueMain ColourDescriptionDate ofObverseReverseObverseReversePrintingIssue250 filsBrownDhow boat with Port of Aden in backgroundDate Palm tree500 filsGreenDhow boat with Port of Aden in backgroundDate palm, wheat1 dinarBlueDhow boat with Port of Aden in background
Lettering:
South Arabian Currency Authority
This note is legal tender for
One DinarDate palm and cotton Lettering:
£1
د١5 dinarsPinkDhow boat with Port of Aden in backgroundDate palm, millet and cotton10 dinarsBlackDhow boat with Port of Aden in background Lettering:
South Arabian Currency Authority
This note is legal tender for
Ten DinarsDate palm, cotton, maize and wheat Lettering:
£10
د١٠ In 1984, the Bank of Yemen introduced 500 fils as well as 1 dinar, 5 dinar, and 10 dinar notes that are like the preceding issues of South Arabia, except the English text and printer's imprint have been removed from the front, the name of the issuer has changed and now appears on the back, along with the name of the capital (ADEN). ImageValueMain ColourDescriptionDate ofObverseReverseObverseReversePrintingIssue500 fils1 dinar5 dinars10 dinars
References
External links