What are the Major Iraqi Dinar Denominations?

All currencies have multiple denominations, and it can be hard to keep track of all denominations for multiple currencies. Professional exchangers that deal in exotic currencies do their best to validate denominations for wear and authenticity. Collectors and travelers should also know how to spot authentic bills and how they are used in different countries.

We’ve talked before about the history of Iraq and the Iraqi Dinar, but in this article let’s delve a little deeper into the current available denominations of Iraqi Dinar and the most recent changes made by the Central Bank of Iraq. When you need to find specific Iraqi Dinar denominations as a traveler or collector, use a money exchanger that deals specifically in exotic currencies like Iraqi Dinar and Vietnamese Dong.

Iraqi Dinar Denominations

The Iraqi Dinar was originally introduced in 1932 as the official currency of Iraq. Previously, the country had used the Indian Rupee as its base currency. This requirement was in place due to the British occupation of the country, as well as their presence in and control of the Indian subcontinent. When it was originally conceived, the government issued Iraqi Dinars in denominations of ¼, ½, 1, 5, 10, and 100 Dinars. In 1978, 25 Dinar banknotes were issued. Then in 1991, 50 Dinars were added with a redesign of the 100 Dinar note. 250 Dinar notes were issued in 1995.

Due to the war in Iraq, the Iraqi Dinar collapsed in 2002, and the Central Bank began issuing the 10,000 Dinar note. Coins were issued alongside banknotes in denominations of 25, 50, & 100 Dinar. These were issued primarily because the banknotes were being counterfeited. Today, there are no more Dinar coins in circulation, everything is issued in banknotes. The denominations available today are 250, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000, and 50,000 notes.

Art and Engraving on the Iraqi Dinar

In 2015, the Central Bank of Iraq began issuing new Dinars without the image of Saddam Hussein, and today’s Dinar notes bear historically significant images and depictions of important landmarks. Here is a summary of engravings used to print Iraqi Dinar denominations:

250 Dinar Note

The front of the 250 Dinar banknote displays an astrolabe, which was an ancient astronomical device invented by the Greek but improved by medieval Islamic astronomers. It was used to measure the time, altitude, and latitude. On the bank of the 250 note, is an image of the Spiral Minaret of Samarra first built in 848 BC. At this time Samarr was the capital of the Abbasid Empire.

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1,000 Dinar Note

In the center of the front of the 1000 Dinar is an ancient gold coin used before banknotes and modern coins were created. On the back is a picture of Al-Mustansirya University in Baghdad. This was established in the 13th century and was the most prominent university of the Islamic world. The university was reestablished in 1963 and is still active today.

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5,000 Dinar Note

The front of the 5,000 note displays a picture of the Geli Ali Beg and it’s waterfall. The gully is a famous natural landmark in Iraq and stretches for over 10 kilometers. It passes between Mount Kor and Mount Nwathnin. This is located in Northern Iraq in the Kurdistan region of the country. The back displays a picture of Al-Ukhaidirer of Hajira, erected in 775 AD. This was an Abbasid palace and located roughly 50 km south of Karbala, Iraq.

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Back

10,000 Dinar Note

On the front of the 10,000 Dinar is a picture of Abu Ali Hasan Ibn al-Haitham. He was born in Basra in 965 AD. He authored over 200 books on scientific topics including explaining how human vision worked. The back of the note contains a picture of the Al-Hadba Minaret of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri located in Mosul. It was built in 1172 AD by the Turkish ruler Nurridin Zangi. It leans slightly 8 feet which has given it the nickname of "The Humped."

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25,000 Dinar Note

The front of the 25,000 Dinar is a picture of a Kurdish farmer with a tractor in the background. On the back of the note is a picture of the ancient king Hammurabi. He is best known for writing the first law code in human history. He founded the first Babylonian empire in 1700 BC.

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50,000 Dinar note

This is the largest denomination of Dinar. On the front is a picture of traditional symbols of Iraqi heritage including a water wheel on the Euphrates, palm trees, birds and the Geli Ali Beg waterfall. On the bank is a picture of a fisherman in the marshes of Iraqi surrounding by indigenious animals. The Great Mosque of Samarra is in the background.

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There are several security features on all Iraqi Dinars to prevent counterfeiting. A security thread runs through the bill. Metallic ink is used. A horsehead watermark is on each bill. Each bill also has a color changing symbol along with an ultraviolet feature that glows with the denomination of each bill.

Future of Currency Denominations from the Iraqi Central Bank

In 2004, the Central Bank issued a 50 dinar note, but it was never in circulation in the Kurdish regions of the country. In 2015, the Central Bank discontinued this denomination. The 50,000 dinar was issued by the Bank in 2015. In 2018, the Central Bank of Iraq announced changes in some of the banknote designs reflecting Iraqi culture and heritage as you see in the notes above.

At this point, the currency is beginning to stabilize, and there are no future plans to add more denominations or change the images on any of the current currency. Because of the recent changes, many of the security features of the Iraqi Dinar include state of the art technology in counterfeiting protection than many of other modern currencies do not contain.

At US First Exchange, we deal in popular and exotic currencies, including Vietnamese Dong and Iraqi Dinar denominations. You can order foreign currency online and have your money shipped straight to your door in 24-48 hours. All shipments are fully insured, and we pride ourselves on having the industry’s lowest spreads. Sign up for our exchange rate alerts to track the value of Iraqi Dinar over time and find the best time to buy currencies.

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