Catalog
1/5 Ouguiya
| Issuer | Banque Centrale de Mauritanie |
|---|---|
| Year | 1973 |
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| Currency | Old Ouguiya (1973-2018) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | 19 73 1/5 BANQUE CENTRALE DE MAURITANIE |
| Reverse description | The reverse displays a crescent and star motif at centre, accompanied by floral or palm sprigs on either side and below, with the denomination in Arabic script ('خمس', meaning 'one khoums') incorporated into the central design. An outer circular legend in Arabic script reads 'البنك المركزي الموريتاني' (Central Bank of Mauritania), and the Hijri year 1393 appears within the legend. The overall composition is enclosed within a beaded or plain border. |
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| Additional information |
The ouguiya was introduced in 1973 when Mauritania broke from the West African CFA franc zone following independence consolidation, with the new currency deliberately structured on a non-decimal base — five khoums to one ouguiya — a division rooted in traditional Islamic monetary reckoning rather than French colonial arithmetic. This fifth-ouguiya piece, equal to one khoum, is the lowest denomination the new system ever produced.
Aluminium was the only practical choice at this weight for a coin of so little purchasing power. Few circulated long enough to accumulate meaningful wear.