This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.
The dinar (Arabic: دينار; sign: £) was the currency of South Arabia, and then South Yemen, and the Republic of Yemen after Yemen's monetary unification on 1 July 1990. 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 poundsterling, it also used the pound sign as its Latin script symbol. It was renamed the South Yemeni dinar after the Federation of South Arabia and the Protectorate of South Arabia united in 1967 as independent South Yemen. The South Yemeni dinar was replaced with the Yemeni rial following unification with North Yemen in 1990. Dinar banknotes remained legal tender during a transitional period until 1996. The exchange rate during that period was £1 = 26 YER.
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 2+1⁄2 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.
Image
Value
date
Obverse
Reverse
10 fils
1981
50 fils
1964
50 fils
1979
100 fils
1981
250 fils
1981
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.[1]
Image
Value
Main Colour
Description
Date of
Obverse
Reverse
Obverse
Reverse
Printing
Issue
250 fils
Brown
Dhow boat with Port of Aden in background
Date Palm tree
500 fils
Green
Dhow boat with Port of Aden in background
Date palm, wheat
1 dinar
Blue
Dhow boat with Port of Aden in background
Lettering:
South Arabian Currency Authority
This note is legal tender for
One Dinar
Date palm and cotton
Lettering:
£1
د١
5 dinars
Pink
Dhow boat with Port of Aden in background
Date palm, millet and cotton
10 dinars
Black
Dhow boat with Port of Aden in background
Lettering:
South Arabian Currency Authority
This note is legal tender for
Ten Dinars
Date 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).[2]
