Qatar's dirham coinage has been issued with remarkable consistency since the Qatar Central Bank assumed monetary authority in 2002, replacing the Qatar Monetary Agency. The copper clad steel composition adopted for this denomination reflects a broader GCC-era shift away from more expensive alloy coinage — a cost-driven decision that coincided with sustained low oil revenues following the 2014 price collapse.
Qatar's dirham coinage has been issued with remarkable consistency since the Qatar Central Bank assumed monetary authority in 2002, replacing the Qatar Monetary Agency. The copper clad steel composition adopted for this denomination reflects a broader GCC-era shift away from more expensive alloy coinage — a cost-driven decision that coincided with sustained low oil revenues following the 2014 price collapse.