Tunisian dinar
Encyclopedia
The dinar
' onMouseout='HidePop("33749")' href="/topics/ISO_4217">ISO 4217
currency code: TND) is the currency of Tunisia
. It is subdivided into 1000 milim or millimes (مليم). The abbreviation DT is often used in Tunisia, although writing "dinar" after the amount is also acceptable (TND is less colloquial, and tends to be used more in financial circles); the abbreviation TD is also mentioned in a few places, but is less frequently used, given the common use of the French language in Tunisia, and the French derivation of DT (i.e., Dinar tunisien).
at a rate of 1000 francs = 1 dinar. The dinar did not follow the devaluation of the French franc in 1958, resulting in the exchange rate being abandoned. Instead a peg to the United States dollar
of 0.42 dinar = 1 dollar was established which was maintained until 1964, when the dinar devalued to 0.525 dinar = 1 dollar. This second rate was held until the dollar was devalued in 1971.
Coin
s in circulation are [broken] (link included current and historic coins and banknotes)
in denominations of ½, 1 and 5 dinar. These were followed by 10 dinar notes in 1969. The last ½ dinar notes were dated 1973 whilst the last 1 dinar notes were dated 1980. 20 dinar notes were introduced in 1980, with the last 5 dinar notes dated 1993. 30 dinar notes were issued in 1997. 50 dinar notes were issued on July 25, 2009. In 2006 an updated version of the frequently used 10 dinar note, with holographic foil, was issued.
to import or export dinar. Every year, each citizen can convert into foreign currency up to 6,000 Tunisian dinars before departure from the country. Therefore, prices at duty-free shop
s are in convertible currencies such as euro
s, US dollars
and British pound
s. There are many converting ATMs
in the country for tourists. It is necessary for anyone leaving Tunisia to declare any cash in their possession exceeding the equivalent of UK£500 beforehand.
Dinar
The dinar is the official currency of several countries.The history of the dinar dates to the gold dinar, an early Islamic coin corresponding to the Byzantine denarius auri...
' onMouseout='HidePop("33749")' href="/topics/ISO_4217">ISO 4217
ISO 4217
ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Standards Organization, which delineates currency designators, country codes , and references to minor units in three tables:* Table A.1 – Current currency & funds code list...
currency code: TND) is the currency of Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. It is subdivided into 1000 milim or millimes (مليم). The abbreviation DT is often used in Tunisia, although writing "dinar" after the amount is also acceptable (TND is less colloquial, and tends to be used more in financial circles); the abbreviation TD is also mentioned in a few places, but is less frequently used, given the common use of the French language in Tunisia, and the French derivation of DT (i.e., Dinar tunisien).
History
The dinar was introduced in 1960, having been established as a unit of account in 1958. It replaced the francTunisian franc
The franc was the currency of Tunisia between 1891 and 1958. It was divided into 100 centimes and was equivalent to the French franc.-History:...
at a rate of 1000 francs = 1 dinar. The dinar did not follow the devaluation of the French franc in 1958, resulting in the exchange rate being abandoned. Instead a peg to the United States dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
of 0.42 dinar = 1 dollar was established which was maintained until 1964, when the dinar devalued to 0.525 dinar = 1 dollar. This second rate was held until the dollar was devalued in 1971.
Coins
In 1960, aluminium 1, 2 and 5 milim and brass 10, 20, 50 and 100 milim coins were introduced. The 1 and 2 milim were last issued in 1980 and 1983 respectively, and are no longer legal tender. In 1968, nickel ½ dinar coins were introduced, replaced by smaller, cupro-nickel pieces in 1976, when cupro-nickel 1 dinar coins were also introduced. Bimetallic 5 dinar coins were introduced in 2002.Coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
s in circulation are [broken] (link included current and historic coins and banknotes)
- 5 milim
- 10 milim
- 20 milim
- 50 milim
- 100 milim
- ½ dinar
- 1 dinar
- 5 dinar
Banknotes
In 1960, banknotes were introduced by the Central Bank of TunisiaCentral Bank of Tunisia
The Central Bank of Tunisia is the central bank of Tunisia. The bank is located in Tunis and its current governor is Mustapha Kamel Nabli, who replaced Taoufik Baccar on 17 January 2011.-History:...
in denominations of ½, 1 and 5 dinar. These were followed by 10 dinar notes in 1969. The last ½ dinar notes were dated 1973 whilst the last 1 dinar notes were dated 1980. 20 dinar notes were introduced in 1980, with the last 5 dinar notes dated 1993. 30 dinar notes were issued in 1997. 50 dinar notes were issued on July 25, 2009. In 2006 an updated version of the frequently used 10 dinar note, with holographic foil, was issued.
| Current Series | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Value | Main Colour | Description | ||
| Obverse | Reverse | Obverse | Reverse | ||
 |
 |
5 Dinars | Green | Hannibal, Port Pinique (Carthage) | |
 |
 |
10 Dinars | Blue | Ibn Khaldoun | |
| 10 Dinars | Blue | Elissa (Dido) Instituted after the United Nations IT conference in Tunis 2006. | Sbeitla temple Sbeitla Sbeitla is a small town in north-central Tunisia. Nearby are the Roman ruins of Sufetula, containing the best preserved Forum temples in Tunisia... , satellite dish |
||
 |
 |
20 Dinars | Purple | Kheireddine Et-Tounsi | |
| 20 Dinars | Red, blue, and yellow | Kheireddine Et-Tounsi, Ksar Ouled Soltane fortified granary in Tataouine district | L’ecole Sadiki (Sadiki College) building in Tunis | ||
 |
 |
30 Dinars | Orange | Abou el Kacem Chebbi Aboul-Qacem Echebbi Abou-Al-kacem El-chebbi was a Tunisian poet. He is probably best known for writing the final two verses of the current National Anthem of Tunisia, Humat al-Hima , that was written originally by the Egyptian poet Mustafa Sadik el-Rafii.Echebbi was born in Tozeur, Tunisia, on 24 February 1909, the... |
Field and water tower |
| 50 Dinars | Green and purple | Ibn El Rachiq Kairouani, the City of Culture building | Rades bridge over ship canal to Tunis, Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport (formerly Zine el-Abidine ben Ali Airport Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is a Tunisian political figure who was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and he assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba, who was... ; renamed after President el-Abidine left the country in 2011) |
||
| 50 Dinars | Green, blue, and orange | Ibn El Rachiq Kairouani, Musée de la Monnaie (Currency Museum) building in Tunis | Place Gouvernement la Kasbah, central square in Tunis | ||
Popular nomenclature
Tunisians sometimes do not use the main division, dinar, when mentioning prices of goods. Accordingly, 50 dinar is often referred to as khamsin alf (fifty thousand). This convention is used even for higher prices, for example 70,000 dinars would be called sab'in maliun (seventy million). "Francs" is also still heard from time to time, 1000 of them colloquially representing a single dinar.Currency restrictions
It is a criminal offence in TunisiaTunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
to import or export dinar. Every year, each citizen can convert into foreign currency up to 6,000 Tunisian dinars before departure from the country. Therefore, prices at duty-free shop
Duty-free shop
Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country...
s are in convertible currencies such as euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s, US dollars
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
and British pound
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
s. There are many converting ATMs
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
in the country for tourists. It is necessary for anyone leaving Tunisia to declare any cash in their possession exceeding the equivalent of UK£500 beforehand.