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.
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.