Bahraini dinar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bahraini dinar
ISO 4217 Code	BHD
User(s)	Bahrain  Abu Dhabi (Formerly)
Inflation	0,85%
Source	The World Factbook, 2022
Pegged with	U.S. dollar (USD) $1 USD = 0.376 BD
Subunit
1⁄1000	fils
Symbol	.د.ب‎
Coins
Freq. used	5, 10, 25, 50, 100 fils, BD 1⁄2 (500 fils)
Banknotes
Freq. used	BD 1⁄2, BD 1, BD 5, BD 10, BD 20

The Bahraini dinar (sign: .د.ب‎ or BD) is the official money used in Bahrain. It's called 'dinar' in Arabic. The word "dinar" comes from the old Roman coin, the denarius.

One Bahraini dinar is split into 1000 smaller units called fils (فلس‎). You'll often see the dinar written with three numbers after the decimal point, like BD 1.000, to show the fils.

As of late 2021, the Bahraini dinar was one of the strongest currencies in the world. It was worth about 2.65 United States dollars for every one dinar. Only the Kuwaiti dinar was worth more!

History of the Bahraini Dinar

The Bahraini dinar was first used in 1965. It took the place of the Gulf rupee. If you had 10 Gulf rupees, you could exchange them for 1 Bahraini dinar.

When it first came out, the dinar was worth about three-quarters of a British pound sterling. Later, its value changed slightly compared to the pound. This is when Bahrain started using its own coins and banknotes.

At first, Abu Dhabi also used the Bahraini dinar. But in 1973, Abu Dhabi switched to using the dirham. One dirham was equal to 100 fils, or 0.100 dinar.

How the Dinar's Value is Set

Since 1980, the Bahraini dinar has been officially linked to the U.S. dollar. This means its value against the dollar stays almost the same. For example, 1 U.S. dollar is always worth about 0.376 Bahraini dinars. This also means that 1 Bahraini dinar is worth about 2.65957 U.S. dollars.

Because of this fixed rate, Saudi riyals are often accepted in Bahrain. You can usually use 10 Saudi riyals for every 1 Bahraini dinar. However, large Saudi 500 riyal notes are only accepted in bigger stores, airports, and electronics shops.

Before 2008, when Malta started using the euro, the Bahraini dinar was the third most valuable currency. After Malta changed to the euro, the Bahraini dinar became the second most valuable currency unit in the world.

Note: Rates obtained from these websites may contradict with pegged rate mentioned above

Bahraini Coins

In 1965, Bahrain introduced its first coins. These included values of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 fils. The 1, 5, and 10 fils coins were made of bronze. The others were made of a mix of copper and nickel. The 1 fils coin was only made for a short time and is no longer used.

Later, in 1992, some changes were made. A new 100 fils coin was introduced, made of two different metals. Also, the 5 and 10 fils coins started being made from brass instead of bronze.

In 2000, a special 500 fils coin was released. It was also made of two metals and featured the Pearl Monument. This coin was later stopped from being made because the monument was removed in 2011. Even though it's still valid, banks don't put it back into circulation.

Coins of the Bahraini dinar
Image	Value	Diameter	Weight	Composition	Obverse	Reverse	First Minted Year
	1 fils	15 mm	1.5 g	Bronze	Palm tree	Value	1965
	5 fils	18.5 mm	2 g	Bronze	Palm tree	Value	1965
	10 fils	23.5 mm	4.75 g	Bronze	Palm tree	Value	1965
	25 fils	16.5 mm	1.75 g	Cupro-nickel	Palm tree	Value	1965
	50 fils	20 mm	3.1 g	Cupro-nickel	Palm tree	Value	1965
	100 fils	25 mm	6.5 g	Cupro-nickel	Palm tree	Value	1965
	5 fils	19 mm	2.50 g	Brass	Palm tree	Value	1992
	10 fils	21 mm	3.35 g	Brass	Palm tree	Value	1992
	25 fils	20 mm	3.5 g	Cupro-nickel	Dilmo Civilization seal	Value	1992
	50 fils	22 mm	4.5 g	Cupro-nickel	Dhow (Bahraini boat)	Value	1992
	100 fils	24 mm	6 g	Brass ring, cupro-nickel centre	Coat of Arms	Value	1992

Bahraini Banknotes

The Bahrain Currency Board first issued banknotes on October 16, 1965. These notes came in values of 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1, 5, and 10 dinars. A 100-fils note was added in September 1967.

In 1973, the Bahrain Monetary Agency took over printing money. They released new notes starting in 1978. These included a 20 dinar note, followed by 1⁄2, 1, 5, and 10 dinar notes in 1979. The old 100-fils note was removed from use in 1980.

A third series of notes came out in 1993, with the same values. These notes were updated in 1998 with new colors and security features to prevent fakes.

In 2006, the Bahrain Monetary Agency changed its name to the Central Bank of Bahrain. On March 17, 2008, the Central Bank of Bahrain released its first new series of notes. This was Bahrain's fourth series of banknotes. These new designs show Bahrain's rich history and its modern progress.

In 2016, the 10- and 20-dinar notes were updated again. They got even better security features. They also added special raised lines for people who are visually impaired to help them identify the notes.

4th series (154mm x 74mm)
Image		Value	Main Colour	Front Side	Back Side
		1⁄2 dinar	Orange	Old Bahrain Court	Bahrain International Circuit
		1 dinar	Red	Al Hedya Al Khalifiya School (Bahrain first school)	Galloping Arabian Horses and the Sail and Pearl monument
		5 dinars	Blue	Shaikh Isa House in Muharraq and Riffa Fort	First oil well in Bahrain and Aluminum Bahrain (Alba)
		10 dinars	Green	King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah	Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Causeway
		20 dinars	Brown	King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah	Al Fateh Islamic Center

Images for kids

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  Bahrain coin, obverse

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  Bahrain coin, reverse

See also

• Gulf rupee
• Economy of Bahrain
• Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
• British currency in the Middle East