Open source reporting dated November 2014 indicated the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ordered the minting of its own gold, silver, and copper “Islamic dinar” coins.
On June 30, 2015, A Syrian activist claimed that the Islamic State began the minting, posting photos of a gold Islamic State dinar to his Twitter account, saying they were due to come into circulation soon.
The currency, based on the original dinar coins used during the Caliphate of Uthman in 634 CE, was set to include seven minted coins: two gold, three silver, and two copper.
Gold coins are to have the symbol of seven stalks of wheat, mentioned in the Quran, while another has the map of the world, a reference to Islam someday ruling the entire world. The reported value of one gold dinar is $139.
Silver coins show a sword and a shield in a reference to holy war, or jihad, while another has a minaret symbolizing Damascus, a city mentioned in one of the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings.
Another coin carries the symbol of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
The copper coins carry the symbol of the crescent moon and three palm trees, also significant in Islam.
The Dinar is the official currency of Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Serbia, Macedonia, and Tunisia.
Ports should be aware that if coins/currency are encountered at a Port of Entry, further action should be taken to ascertain if the subject has any affiliation with the Islamic State.
