500 Fils

Iraq's 500 fils denomination had a turbulent institutional life. By 1982, the country was deep into the Iran-Iraq War — now in its second year — and currency production was being managed under considerable economic strain, with oil revenues increasingly diverted to military spending. That this relatively high-denomination coin was struck in nickel rather than a cupro-nickel alloy reflects wartime pressures on metal procurement and minting contracts, which Iraq had partly outsourced to foreign facilities during this period.

KM#165 is occasionally confused with earlier 500 fils types in dealer inventories; the Schön reference is the more reliable cross-check for confirming the correct year grouping.