1/5 Ouguiya

The ouguiya was introduced in 1973 when Mauritania broke from the West African CFA franc zone following independence consolidation, with the new currency deliberately structured on a non-decimal base — five khoums to one ouguiya — a division rooted in traditional Islamic monetary reckoning rather than French colonial arithmetic. This fifth-ouguiya piece, equal to one khoum, is the lowest denomination the new system ever produced.

Aluminium was the only practical choice at this weight for a coin of so little purchasing power. Few circulated long enough to accumulate meaningful wear.