# Jordanian dinar

The Jordanian dinar (Arabic: دينار أردني‎; code: JOD; unofficially abbreviated as JD) has been the currency of Jordan since 1950. The dinar is divided into 100 qirsh (also called piastres) or 1000 fulus. Fils are effectively obsolete; however, monetary amounts are still written to three decimal places representing fils. It is pegged to the US dollar.
The Central Bank of Jordan commenced operations in 1964 and became the sole issuer of Jordanian currency, in place of the Jordan Currency Board.
The Jordanian dinar is also widely used in the West Bank alongside the Israeli shekel.

## History

In 1927, the British administration of the Palestinian Mandate established the Palestine Currency Board which issued the Palestine pound which was the official currency in both Mandatory Palestine and the Emirate of Transjordan. Though Jordan became an independent kingdom on 25 May 1946, it continued to use the Palestinian pound for a while. In 1949, it passed the Provisional Act No. 35 of 1949, which established the Jordan Currency Board as the sole authority in the kingdom entitled to issue Jordanian currency, called the Jordanian dinar. The Board was based in London and consisted of a president and four members, and began issuing Jordanian dinars in 1949 and was exchangeable for Palestinian pounds at parity.
After Jordanian rule of the West Bank in April 1950, the dinar replaced the Palestinian pound. On 1 July 1950, the Jordanian dinar became the kingdom's official currency and legal tender. The use of the Palestine pound ceased in the country on 30 September 1950. The Central Bank of Jordan was established in 1959 and took over note production in 1964. In 1967, Jordan lost control of the West Bank, but the Jordanian dinar continued to be used there. It continues to be widely used in the West Bank alongside the Israeli shekel.
In 1988 and 1989, the dinar depreciated substantially due to mounting foreign debts in the kingdom. During that time, there were protests across the country.

## 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 1⁄4 dinar coins in 1970. The 1 fils coin was last minted in 1985. In 1996, smaller 1⁄4 dinar coins were introduced alongside 1⁄2 and 1 dinar coins.
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 and the English denominations are given in dinar and either qirsh or piastres.
| Value | Diameter | Weight | Composition | Edge | First Minted Year | Common Reference |
| 1 qirsh | 25 mm | 5.5 g | Copper-plated steel | Plain | 2000 | |
| 5 piastres (qirsh) | 26 mm | 5 g | Nickel-plated steel | Milled | 2000 | 50 fils 'Shilin' |
| 10 piastres (qirsh) | 28 mm | 8 g | Nickel-plated steel | Milled | 2000 | 100 fils, 'Bareezah' |
| 1⁄4 dinar | 26.5 mm Heptagonal | 7.4 g | Brass | Plain | 2004 | Rub'a$^1$, 25 piastres, 250 fils |
| 1⁄2 dinar | 29 mm Heptagonal | 9.6 g | Ring: Aluminium bronze Center: Cupronickel | Plain | 2000 | Nusf$^2$, 50 piastres, 500 fils |
* rub'a is Arabic for "piece of four" or "quarter".
* nusf is Arabic for "piece of two" or "half".

## Banknotes

The Central Bank of Jordan is the sole authority to issue Jordanian banknotes since its establishment in 1964. It released into circulation its first series of Jordanian notes on August 4, 1965. From 1949 to 1965, currency issue was entrusted in the Jordan Currency Board. Before 1949, the Palestinian pound was used.
In 1949, banknotes were issued by the Jordan Currency Board in denominations of 1⁄2, 1, 5, 10 and 50 dinars. They bore the country's official name, "The Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan". 20 dinar notes were introduced in 1977. The 50 dinar note was redesigned and the 1⁄2 dinar notes were replaced by coins in 1999.

### Issues by the Jordan Currency Board
#### First Issue (1949–1952)

| Value | Dimensions | Primary Color | Obverse | Reverse | Printed Date |
| 500 fils | 128 x 76 mm | Dark Purple | Wadi Al Arab Irrigation Project | View of shepherd with his flock | 1949 (Gregorian) 1368 (Hijri) |
| 1 dinar | 160 x 86 mm | Green | His Majesty the Late King Abdullah | Oval Plaza - Jerash | 1949 (Gregorian) 1368 (Hijri) |
| 5 dinar | 169 x 88 mm | Red | His Majesty the Late King Abdullah | View of Al-Khazneh | 1949 (Gregorian) 1368 (Hijri) |
| 10 dinar | 185 x 97 mm | Blue | His Majesty the Late King Abdullah | View of Al-Khazneh | 1949 (Gregorian) 1368 (Hijri) |
| 50 dinar | 190 x 100 mm | Brown | His Majesty the Late King Abdullah | View from Aqaba | 1949 (Gregorian) 1368 (Hijri) |

#### Second Issue (1952–1965)

| Value | Dimensions | Primary Color | Obverse | Reverse | Printed Date |
| 500 fils | 128 x 76 mm | Dark Purple | Wadi Al Arab Irrigation Project | View of shepherd with his flock | 1952 (Gregorian) 1371 (Hijri) |
| 1 Dinar | 160 x 86 mm | Green | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | Oval Plaza - Jerash | 1952 (Gregorian) 1371 (Hijri) |
| 5 Dinar | 169 x 88 mm | Red | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | View of Al-Khazneh | 1952 (Gregorian) 1371 (Hijri) |
| 10 Dinar | 185 x 97 mm | Blue | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | View of Al-Khazneh | 1952 (Gregorian) 1371 (Hijri) |

### Issues by the Central Bank of Jordan
#### First Issue (1965–1975)

| Value | Dimensions | Primary Color | Obverse | Reverse | Issue Date |
| 1⁄2 dinar | 140 x 70 mm | Dark Orange | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | Oval Forum - Jerash | August 4, 1965 |
| 1 dinar | 150 x 75 mm | Green | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | Dome of the Rock | August 4, 1965 |
| 5 dinar | 164 x 82 mm | Red | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | View of Al-Khazneh | August 4, 1965 |
| 10 dinar | 175 x 88 mm | Blue | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | Al-Maghtas | August 4, 1965 |

#### Second Issue (1975–1992)

| Value | Dimensions | Primary Color | Obverse | Reverse | Issue Date |
| 1⁄2 dinar | 136 × 67.5 mm | Brown | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | Oval Forum - Jerash | November 16, 1975 |
| 1 dinar | 144 × 71.5 mm | Green | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | Dome of the Rock | November 16, 1975 |
| 5 dinar | 152 × 76 mm | Red | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | View of Petra | November 16, 1975 |
| 10 dinar | 160 × 80 mm | Dark Purple | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | The Cultural Palace at Al-Hussein Youth Sports City Roman Amphitheater (Amman) Three Roman columns in Jerash | November 16, 1975 |
| 20 dinar | 168 × 84 mm | Olive Green/Blue | His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal | View of the Al-Hussein Thermal Power Station in Zarqa Olive grove | June 3, 1978 (Olive Green) August 25, 1990 (Blue) |

#### Third Issue (1992–2002)

| Value | Dimensions | Primary Color | Obverse | Reverse | Issue Date |
| 1⁄2 dinar | 131 × 62 mm | Brown | Hussein bin Talal | Qusayr 'Amra | August 1, 1992 |
| 1 dinar | 137 × 66 mm | Green | Hussein bin Talal | The Cardo in Jerash | August 1, 1992 |
| 5 dinar | 143 × 70 mm | Red | Hussein bin Talal | Al-Khazneh | October 1, 1992 |
| 10 dinar | 149 × 74 mm | Blue | Hussein bin Talal | Ajloun Castle | October 1, 1992 |
| 20 dinar | 155 × 78 mm | Olive green and gray | Hussein bin Talal | Dome of the Rock | August 1, 1992 |

#### Fourth Issue (2002–2022)

| Value | Dimensions | Main Color | Obverse | Reverse | Printed Date | Issued Date | Watermark |
| 1 dinar | 133 × 74 mm | Green | Hussein bin Ali A silver Hashemite coin minted in the Kingdom of Hejaz | Flag of the Great Arab Revolt Supreme Order of the Renaissance in the center Antique compass in the top right | 2002 Hijri 1423 | March 30, 2003 | Sharif Hussein bin Ali |
| 5 dinars | 137 × 74 mm | Orange | Abdullah bin al-Hussein I Official Seal of Abdullah bin Al-Hussein I in the bottom right | Ma’an Palace Umayyad coin minted in Jordan bearing the phrase "There is no god but Allah alone" on the left side | 2002 Hijri 1423 | December 22, 2002 | Abdullah I bin al-Hussein |
| 10 dinars | 141 × 74 mm | Blue | Talal bin Abdullah Umm Qais Museum Commemorative stamp issued for the establishment of the first Jordanian parliament, at the bottom right | First Jordanian Parliament Building Picture of Wadi Rum on the right side Decorative motif from the Al Qastal area dating back to the Umayyad period on the left side | 2002 Hijri 1423 | December 22, 2002 | Talal bin Abdullah |
| 20 dinars | 145 × 74 mm | Cyan | Hussein bin Talal King Abdullah I Mosque | Dome of the Rock | 2002 Hijri 1423 | February 2, 2003 | Hussein bin Talal |
| 50 dinars | 149 × 74 mm | Brown and Purple | Abdullah bin al-Hussein II | Raghadan Palace Marble carvings from Al-Aqsa Mosque. Black Iris Flower - the national flower of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. | 2002 Hijri 1423 | February 2, 2003 | Abdullah II bin al-Hussein |

#### Fifth Issue (2022–present)

| Value | Dimensions | Main Color | Obverse | Reverse | Printed Date | Issued Date | Watermark |
| 1 dinar | 133 × 74 mm | Green | Hussein bin Ali Acanthus syriacus | Mountains of Wadi Rum Sinai Rosefinch, the national bird of Jordan | 2022 Hijri 1443 | 26 December 2022 | Sharif Hussein bin Ali |
| 5 dinars | 137 × 74 mm | Orange | Abdullah bin al-Hussein I Petra | Treasury, Petra | 2022 Hijri 1443 | 16 August 2023 | Abdullah I bin al-Hussein |
| 10 dinars | 141 × 74 mm | Blue | Talal bin Abdullah Qusayr 'Amra | Roman Theater in Amman | 2022 Hijri 1443 | 26 July 2023 | Talal bin Abdullah |
| 20 dinars | 145 × 74 mm | Cyan | Hussein bin Talal King Hussein Mosque | Wadi Mujib | 2022 Hijri 1443 | 21 March 2023 | Hussein bin Talal |
| 50 dinars | 149 × 74 mm | Purple | Abdullah bin al-Hussein II Jerusalem | Wadi Rum | 2022 Hijri 1443 | 5 February 2023 | Abdullah bin al-Hussein II |

## Fixed exchange rate

Since October 23, 1995, the dinar has officially been pegged to the IMF's special drawing rights (SDRs), while in practice it was fixed at 1 U.S. dollar = 0.709 dinar most of the time, which is approximately 1 dinar = 1.41044 dollars. The Central Bank buys U.S. dollars at 0.708 dinar per dollar, and sells U.S. dollars at 0.710 dinar per dollar.
A sample exchange rate of Jordanian dinars to US dollars:
| Year | US Dollar = |
| 1980 | 0.29 dinar |
| 1985 | 0.39 dinar |
| 1990 | 0.66 dinar |
| 1995 | 0.70 dinar |
| 2020 | 0.71 dinar |