The rial was introduced when Morocco adopted a modern style coinage in 1882. It replaced a system consisting of copper falus, silver dirham and gold benduqi.

In Spanish Morocco, the rial was replaced by the Spanish peseta in 1912 at a rate of 1 rial = 5 pesetas. In French Morocco, the rial was replaced in 1921 by the franc at a rate of 1 rial = 10 francs.

In 1882, silver 1⁄2, 1, 21⁄2 and 5 dirham and 1 rial coins were issued whilst, in 1902, bronze 1, 2, 5 and 10 mazunas were introduced. Although there were several design changes, these denominations remained otherwise unchanged until 1921.

The only paper money issued denominated in rial were issued by the State Bank of Morocco between 1910 and 1917. These were also denominated in francs, with denominations of 4 rials (40 francs) and 20 rials (200 francs).

• Falus
• Moroccan dirham

• Krause, Chester L.; Clifford Mishler (1991). Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1801–1991 (18th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873411501.
• Pick, Albert (1994). Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: General Issues. Colin R. Bruce II and Neil Shafer (editors) (7th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0-87341-207-9.