Mauritania's currency has operated outside the CFA franc zone since independence in 1973, when the ouguiya replaced the CFA franc at a rate of 5 ouguiya to 1 khoum — the khoum being one-fifth of an ouguiya, making Mauritania one of the very few countries whose subunit is worth less than one-fifth of the base unit by design. The nickel plated steel composition of this issue replaced an earlier nickel-brass version, a cost-driven change that also slightly altered the coin's magnetic properties and surface character.
Mauritania's currency has operated outside the CFA franc zone since independence in 1973, when the ouguiya replaced the CFA franc at a rate of 5 ouguiya to 1 khoum — the khoum being one-fifth of an ouguiya, making Mauritania one of the very few countries whose subunit is worth less than one-fifth of the base unit by design. The nickel plated steel composition of this issue replaced an earlier nickel-brass version, a cost-driven change that also slightly altered the coin's magnetic properties and surface character.