A small but important cash problem is developing in Kirkuk, Iraq. Merchants and residents are reporting increasing difficulty obtaining 250-dinar, 500-dinar and 1,000-dinar banknotes for everyday transactions. Some merchants say customers paying with larger notes are being asked to purchase additional items because shops don't have enough small denominations available to provide proper change. And some of the small notes that are available are reportedly torn, dirty or heavily worn. But here's where this story gets interesting. According to currency issuance data cited by Shafaq News, Iraq had approximately 1.738 billion 250-, 500- and 1,000-dinar notes in 2026 — compared with roughly 1.660 billion in 2022. That's actually an increase of about 78.4 million notes. So why are merchants still struggling to find them? The answer may have less ...