A Guide to Coins From United Arab Emirates
Posted by: Ian • 12 Nov 2025
Ever come back from a trip to Dubai or Abu Dhabi with a pocketful of strange-looking coins? You're not alone. Those little bits of metal are coins from the United Arab Emirates, and they’re often forgotten in a drawer once you're back home. But they hold real value, and our fast, easy, and 100% guaranteed service can turn that leftover holiday money back into cash.
Unlocking the Value in Your UAE Coins
It’s easy to dismiss a handful of foreign coins as just a bit of loose change, but they’re part of a rich monetary history. Understanding where they come from makes the process of exchanging them feel even more worthwhile.
The United Arab Emirates introduced its own currency, the dirham, back in 1973, taking over from the Qatar and Dubai riyal. The first series included 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 fils coins, along with the 1 dirham coin. If you happen to have any of these older coins, especially ones minted before 2011 and in good nick, they can be of particular interest to collectors here in the UK. Their historical significance and relative scarcity give them an appeal beyond just their face value. For those keen on the details, numismatic websites offer a deep dive into the different issues of UAE coinage.
What Coins Are in Circulation Today?
These days, the coins you're most likely to bring back from a trip are the 25 fils, 50 fils, and 1 dirham. While the smaller 1, 5, and 10 fils coins are technically still legal tender, you'll rarely see them in day-to-day transactions because their value is so low. The designs on these coins often showcase iconic Emirati symbols, giving you a small glimpse into the nation's culture and heritage.
To help you identify what you might have, here's a quick reference table for the coins currently in circulation.
Current UAE Coin Denominations and Features
This table provides a quick reference to the UAE coins currently in circulation, including their value, design, and composition. Use it to easily identify the coins you have.
| Denomination | Value in AED | Primary Design Feature | Composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Fils | 0.25 | A gazelle | Copper-nickel |
| 50 Fils | 0.50 | Three oil derricks | Copper-nickel |
| 1 Dirham | 1.00 | A Dallah (traditional coffee pot) | Copper-nickel |
This simple breakdown makes it easy to see what’s what without needing to be a currency expert.
This infographic gives you a closer look at the widely used 1 Dirham coin.
As you can see, it's a practical size and weight, which is why it has been a staple in everyday life across the UAE since it was first introduced.
Key Takeaway: You don't need to be a currency expert to cash in on your leftover coins. Our service is designed to be completely hassle-free, with absolutely no need for you to sort or identify your currency.
Whether you've got a single dirham coin or a big bag of mixed foreign currency, our process is straightforward. We’re trusted by major UK brands—including national charities, supermarkets, airports, and even police forces—to handle their currency exchange needs efficiently and reliably. Our whole purpose is to make it simple for you to convert foreign coins and banknotes into usable cash or donate them to a cause you care about.
Ready to get started? Just visit our homepage.
The Story Behind UAE Coin Designs
Every coin tells a story, and the coins from United Arab Emirates paint a picture of the nation’s culture, heritage, and incredible growth. When the UAE dirham first appeared in 1973, it replaced the old Qatar and Dubai riyal, heralding a new era for the newly-formed nation. The designs weren't just picked at random; they were carefully chosen symbols that get to the very heart of Emirati life.
These iconic images act as miniature portraits of the country's values. Take the 1 Dirham coin, for example. It proudly features a Dallah, a traditional Arabic coffee pot. This is a powerful symbol of hospitality and generosity—two of the most important pillars of Emirati culture. It’s a small metal reminder of a welcoming tradition that goes back centuries.
Symbols of Progress and Nature
The other coins in your pocket are just as meaningful. Each design element connects to a different part of the UAE's identity, beautifully mixing its rich history with its modern economic muscle.
- The 50 Fils Coin: This coin depicts three oil derricks, a clear nod to the industry that completely transformed the nation's economy. It represents the UAE's journey into a global economic powerhouse.
- The 25 Fils Coin: Look closely and you’ll see a graceful gazelle. This design celebrates the region's unique wildlife and desert heritage, a tribute to the delicate balance between progress and preserving the natural world.
Amazingly, these core designs have stayed pretty much the same for decades, creating a currency that's instantly recognisable. While there have been a few subtle tweaks to their size and what they're made of, the symbols have endured.
This rich symbolism adds another layer of appreciation to that leftover holiday money you might have. It’s not just spare change; it’s a collection of cultural artefacts that tell the story of a nation.
Knowing what these designs mean can make sorting through your leftover foreign currency a lot more interesting. Of course, with our service, you don't need to spend any time identifying them. We’ve designed our process to be completely fast, easy, and hassle-free. There's no need to sort your coins at all; just gather them all up, and we’ll handle the rest. It’s the simplest way to convert foreign coins and banknotes into cash without any fuss.
Why Collectors Seek Out UAE Coins
Have you ever wondered if those leftover UAE coins rattling in your travel wallet could be worth more than you think? For most of us, they're just leftover foreign currency. But for a growing community of collectors, certain coins from United Arab Emirates are genuine treasures. Their appeal isn’t just the metal they're struck from; it's the history, rarity, and story they tell.
This is especially true for the older coins, particularly those minted during the UAE's early days in the 1970s and 1980s. Back then, production numbers were often lower, making these coins much harder to come by today, especially in good nick. A coin that's barely been touched, with its details still sharp and clear, is always going to be more sought-after than one that's been passed around for years.
Rarity And Historical Significance
For a numismatist (that's a coin collector to you and me), the specific year a coin was minted can make all the difference. Commemorative editions or coins from a year with a particularly low minting run are often the ones that get collectors excited. If you're curious about what makes old currency valuable, it's worth taking a look at the wider market for valuable old coins.
And it's not just a local interest. Here in the UK, collectors are paying more attention to UAE coins, with rare pieces like the 1973 1-dirham fetching good prices. The UK market has seen some really competitive bidding for top-quality examples, as these coins represent both a piece of history and a smart investment. For UK collectors looking to add something different to their portfolio, their rarity makes them a great find.
Important Note: While it's true some coins have a collectible value, the vast majority of everyday currency is simply worth its face value. Our service is designed to give you a fast, easy, and hassle-free way to exchange your foreign coins and notes at their exchange rate value.
Knowing this helps you make the best decision for your leftover money. You might just have a rare gem on your hands, but for most holidaymakers, the simplest and best option is a straightforward exchange.
Whether you've got a potential collector's piece or just a pocketful of standard dirhams, our service keeps things simple. You don't need to spend hours sorting your coins or trying to identify the rare ones. Our process is 100% guaranteed and trusted by major brands, including charities and airports, so you can be sure you're getting a fair and credible exchange. We make it easy to convert foreign coins and banknotes into cash.
How to Exchange Your UAE Coins and Notes
So, what do you actually do with that jar of leftover dirhams and fils sitting on the shelf? Turning your leftover foreign currency into cash often feels like a pain, but we’ve made our service incredibly fast, easy, and hassle-free. This guide offers practical tips and helpful advice on how to do it.
We’ve cut out all the usual headaches that come with currency exchange. Forget about spending ages separating your coins from United Arab Emirates from the euros, dollars, or anything else you might have mixed in. With us, there’s absolutely no need to sort your coins or notes.
Just scoop up all your leftover holiday money—old, obsolete, coins, and notes—and we take it from there. Our goal is to make it as simple as possible to convert foreign coins and banknotes with the least amount of effort on your part.
A Simple and Secure Process
We’ve built our entire system on trust and simplicity. We know you want a service that’s reliable and doesn't waste your time, which is why we've boiled it down to just a few steps.
- Gather Your Currency: Collect all your foreign coins and notes. Don’t worry about what’s mixed in; we accept almost everything.
- Send It to Us: Pack it all up and post it. We’ll give you all the guidance you need to send your currency to us safely.
- Get Paid: Once we receive and process your currency, we send your payment straight to you. It really is that simple.
Our whole operation is backed by a 100% guarantee, so you can send your currency with complete confidence. It’s this commitment to reliability that has made us the go-to partner for major UK organisations.
We are the chosen currency exchange partner for national charities, major supermarkets, UK airports, and even police forces. These organisations rely on our credible, transparent, and efficient service to handle their foreign currency needs.
Why the UK Is a Hub for Foreign Coins
The UK holds a pretty unique place in the world of currency, partly thanks to its history of minting. The British Royal Mint, for example, once produced coins for over 100 countries, cranking out billions of them every year.
While it doesn't produce UAE legal tender, its global footprint helped establish the UK as a major centre for international currency exchange. This history fuels a vibrant market where coins from all over the world, including the UAE, are actively collected and traded.
This rich background means we’re perfectly set up to handle a massive variety of currencies. Our expertise allows us to efficiently sort through mixed bags of coins from any country, ensuring nothing goes to waste. If you’re asking yourself where can I exchange foreign coins, our service is the most straightforward answer you’ll find.
Ultimately, our job is to turn something you might see as clutter into real, usable cash. Don't let that forgotten currency from your travels sit there gathering dust. Let us help you unlock its value today with a service you can count on.
Donate Your Leftover UAE Currency to Charity
Come back from a trip with a pocketful of coins from the United Arab Emirates? It happens to the best of us. Often, the amount feels too small to bother with at a bureau de change, so it gets tossed in a drawer or a jar, never to be seen again. But instead of letting that cash gather dust, you can give your leftover holiday money a powerful new purpose by donating it to charity.
It’s a simple act that can have a huge impact, turning small, unused amounts of foreign currency into vital funds for brilliant causes across the UK.
A Hassle-Free Way to Give Back
Donating your leftover UAE coins and notes through our service is just as fast, easy, and hassle-free as our standard exchange. We’ve designed the process to be completely straightforward, getting rid of any fuss that might stop you from contributing.
One of the best parts? There’s absolutely no need to sort your coins. Just gather up all your leftover foreign currency—dirhams, fils, euros, dollars, whatever you’ve got—and send it to us in one go. We do all the hard work of sorting and counting, making it the easiest way imaginable to donate foreign coins to charity.
We are proud to be a trusted partner for numerous UK charities. These organisations rely on our credible and efficient service to convert otherwise unusable foreign currency donations into substantial funds that support their essential work.
Our partnerships with these charities are a testament to our commitment to community and trust. We also work closely with major UK brands like supermarkets, airports, and even police forces, all of whom trust us to handle their foreign currency needs securely and professionally.
This established credibility means your donation is in safe hands. The entire process is backed by our 100% guarantee, giving you total peace of mind that your contribution will be handled transparently and effectively. Donating is a fantastic way to exchange foreign coins and notes for a good cause.
If you'd like to make a difference, you can find out more about where you can donate foreign coins in our dedicated guide. It’s a simple way to clear out that clutter and support a cause you care about at the same time.
Turn Your UAE Coins into Cash Today
After exploring the fascinating history and design of coins from the United Arab Emirates, it’s pretty clear they're more than just pocket change. Whether you've got a handful left over from a holiday or a whole jar full of mixed currency, that leftover money holds real value. Now is the perfect time to turn it back into cash you can actually use.
Our service is designed to be fast, easy, and completely hassle-free. We've gotten rid of all the usual headaches that come with currency exchange. There’s absolutely no need to sort your coins or notes; just send everything to us, and we'll handle the rest. This simple approach to exchange foreign coins is what makes us different.
A Service You Can Trust
Credibility is everything. We're proud to be the trusted exchange partner for some of the UK's biggest names, including national charities, major supermarkets, airports, and even police forces. They rely on our professional and transparent service, and you can too.
With our 100% guarantee, you can be completely confident you’ll receive the full value for your currency. We make exchanging your leftover foreign cash straightforward and secure, right from the start.
And if you're looking to turn other collectibles into cash, this handy guide to selling collectibles effectively offers some great tips.
Don’t let that forgotten money sit around gathering dust. Start the simple process on our homepage today and unlock the value in your leftover foreign currency.
Got Questions About Your UAE Coins? We Have Answers
We get a lot of questions from people who find old UAE coins tucked away after a holiday. If you're wondering what to do with them or how our service works, you're in the right place. Here are some simple, straight-to-the-point answers to the most common queries we receive, offering helpful advice and real-world insights.
Can I Exchange Old or Out-of-Circulation UAE Coins?
Yes, absolutely! This is one of the things that sets our service apart. We’re set up to handle a huge variety of foreign currency, including those older or obsolete coins that might not even be in circulation anymore. You don't have to worry about checking dates or figuring out which series your coins belong to.
Just pop them in with all the other foreign currency you have. We sort through mixed bags of coins and notes from all over the world, so it's a completely hassle-free experience for you. Our experts will identify and value everything, making sure you get the right amount for your entire collection.
How Do I Know I Can Trust Your Service?
Trust is everything in this business, and we've spent years building ours. We’re proud to be the go-to currency exchange partner for some of the UK’s biggest names, including national supermarkets, major airports, police forces, and well-known charities.
These organisations count on our secure and transparent process to handle their foreign currency, and you can expect the same level of care.
We back every transaction with a 100% guarantee. This means you’re assured of receiving the value we agree upon, giving you complete peace of mind. Our reputation is built on being reliable, efficient, and great to work with.
Do I Need to Sort My UAE Coins Before Sending Them?
Not at all. In fact, that's one of the best parts of using our service and what makes it so fast and easy. There’s absolutely no need for you to sit there separating your coins by country or value.
It really is as simple as this:
- Gather up all your leftover foreign currency—whether it's from the UAE, Europe, or anywhere else.
- Put it all into one package.
- Send it over to us.
Our modern sorting process takes care of all the fiddly work for you. It saves a massive amount of time and effort, making it the easiest way to exchange your foreign coins and notes.
Ready to unlock the value in that forgotten currency? At We Buy All Currency, our process is fast, easy, and secure. Head over to our homepage to get your exchange started today. Find out more at https://www.webuyallcurrency.com.