5 Diram

The National Bank of Tajikistan was established only in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Tajikistan's first indigenous coinage came even later — the somoni series launched in 2001 after the country abandoned the transitional Tajik ruble. The 5 diram sits at the lowest practical tier of that decimal system, with 100 dirams to the somoni.

Brass-plated steel was chosen across the small-denomination diram coins largely because Tajikistan has no domestic minting facility of its own — these were struck at the Moscow Mint.