The 1 fils coin is a rarity and does not circulate significantly. The 1, 5, and 10 fils coins are rarely used in everyday life, so all amounts are rounded up or down to the nearest multiples of 25 fils. The value and numbers on the coins are written in Eastern Arabic numerals and the text is in Arabic. In 1995, the 5 fils, 10 fils, 50 fils, and 1 dirham coins were reduced in size, with the new 50 fils being curve-equilateral-heptagonal shaped. The fils coins were the same size and composition as the corresponding Qatar and Dubai dirham coins. The 1, 5, and 10 fils are struck in bronze, with the higher denominations in cupro-nickel. In 1973, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 fils and 1 dirham. Abu Dhabi adopted the UAE dirham in place of the Bahraini dinar, at 1 dinar = 10 dirhams, while in the other emirates, the Qatar and Dubai riyal were exchanged at par. In 1973, the UAE adopted the UAE dirham as its currency.

Abu Dhabi used the Bahraini dinar, at a rate of 10 Gulf rupees = 1 dinar. These emirates briefly adopted the Saudi riyal during the transition from the Gulf rupee to the Qatar and Dubai riyal. All the Trucial States except Abu Dhabi adopted the Qatar and Dubai riyal, which was equal to the Gulf rupee prior to the devaluation. Not accepting the devaluation, several of the states still using the Gulf rupee adopted their own or other currencies. On 6 June 1966, India decided to devalue the Gulf rupee against the Indian rupee. Due to centuries of trade and usage of the currency, dirham survived through the Ottoman Empire.īefore 1966, all the emirates that now form the UAE used the Gulf rupee, which was pegged at parity to the Indian rupee. The name dirham is a loan from the Greek δραχμή (drakhmé). Further information: British currency in the Middle East

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