Start hereDictionarySearch
English
日本語English中文ItalianoFrançaisDeutschEspañol
Sign in Fees and how to study
NOMISMA
Read history Money history: the world and JapanBubbles, frauds and financial crisesPeople who changed moneyReadingsSee all of Read history
Understand how money works Banks and depositsInterest, prices and exchange ratesCash and digital paymentsHistory's lessons for today's decisionsSee all of Understand how money works
Look at coins Browse by photoImages, letters and materialsCare, storage and tradingSee all of Look at coins
Start hereDictionarySearch
Fees and how to study Sign in
Language
日本語English中文ItalianoFrançaisDeutschEspañol

Dirham

ディルハム ／ dirham　—　Names of money

A silver coin of the Islamic world. This coin facilitated both market transactions and accounting.

Early Islamic dirham Early Islamic dirhamThe early Islamic period Kuruş of Suleiman II Kuruş of Suleiman II1687–91 1 Kurush of Mustafa II 1 Kurush of Mustafa II1695-1704
A photograph of what this word names.

A silver coin of the Islamic world. Continuing the lineage of the Sasanian drachm, this coin facilitated both market transactions and bookkeeping. If the gold coin (dinar) was a symbol of sovereignty, the dirham was the currency of daily life.

⚠ The name traces back to the Greek drachma. It is an example of a Mediterranean name that survived, crossing deserts and seas.