10 Fils - Hamad magnetic, 2nd type

Bahrain's shift to brass-plated steel for this denomination was driven by the same commodity pressure that forced mint reforms across the Gulf in the 2000s — rising copper and nickel prices made the older solid alloy flans economically indefensible for a low-value coin. The magnetic core allowed automated sorting and vending machine compatibility while cutting production costs substantially.

The KM#28.2 designation separates this from the earlier non-magnetic type by the steel substrate alone — a distinction invisible to casual handling but immediately apparent with a magnet.