The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar, at exactly AED 3.6725 = USD 1.00.
History of the UAE Dirham
The United Arab Emirates dirham was introduced on the 19 May 1973. It replaced the riyal that used to be the Qatar and Dubai currency since 1966. Before 1966, all the emirates that form today the UAE, used the Gulf rupee.
UAE Dirham – Coins
| Coin | Front | Back | Weight | ø | Thickness | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 fils |  |
 |
1.5 g | 15 mm | 1.1 mm | Very rare |
| 5 fils |  |
 |
2.2 g | 17 mm | 1.2 mm | Very rare |
| 10 fils |  |
 |
3.05 g | 19 mm | 1.65 mm | Very rare |
| 25 fils |  |
 |
3.5 g | 20 mm | 1.5 mm | Common |
| 50 fils |  |
 |
4.4 g | 21 mm | 1.7 mm | Very common |
| 1 dirham |  |
 |
11.3 g | 28.5 mm | 2.3 mm | Very common |
© Coins – Image courtesy of Ma collection de monnaies
UAE Dirham – Banknotes
| AED 5 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 5 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | 142×60 | Sharjah Central Souq also known as Islamic Souq – the Blue Souq or the central market | Imam Salem Al Mutawa Mosque which was formerly known as Al Jamaa mosque in Sharjah |
| AED 10 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 10 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 147×62 | The khanjar (Arabic: خنجر) is the traditional dagger of Oman | A farm |
| AED 20 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 20 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 149×63 | The front face of the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club | Traditional trading dhow |
| AED 50 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 50 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purple | 151×64 | An oryx or gazelle (غزال) | The pre-Islamic Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain |
| AED 100 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 100 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red / Pink | 155×66 | Fahidi Fort | Dubai World Trade Centre building |
| AED 200 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 200 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | 157×67 | The Zayed Sports City and the Sharia court building | The United Arab Emirates Central Bank building |
| AED 500 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 500 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purple / Blue | 159×68 | Saker falcon | The Jumeirah Mosque – one of the best known mosques in the UAE and Dubai |
| AED 1000 – Reverse |
|---|
 |
| AED 1000 – Observe |
|---|
 |
| Main colour | Dimensions | Observe | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turquoise | 163×70 | Al Hosn Palace | Abu Dhabi Corniche |