Do you know the background and history of the images on the banknotes of your country? Can you differentiate a real from a fake bill back home? In Peru you won’t find any pictures of former presidents on the bills, but rather famous personalities and archaeological sites which are part of Peru’s extensive past. Therefore Peru’s Nuevos Soles banknotes don’t only stand for the pure nominal value of the bill, but also pass on the rich cultural patrimony of the country.

Current Peruvian Coins

The Sol is subdivided into 100 Centimos. Coins have been issued for 5 Centimos, 10 Centimos, 20 Centimos, 50 Centimos, S/. 1, S/. 2 and S/. 5. The abbreviation “S/.” stands for Nuevo Sol. For each nomination you find a second page with details and images to make sure you quickly feel comfortable with this “strange” money.

Monetary Systems in Peru

Peru had since 1897 four main monetary systems. The first one was the Libra Peruana de Oro (Peruvian Gold Pound) that was in circulation as legal tender from 1897. In 1930 followed a new currency called the Sol de Oro (Golden Sun). Due to high inflation the currency of the era of Republican Peru was abandoned in 1985 and the Inti introduced. The bad economic state of Peru and terrorism in the late 1980s forced the Inti to lose its value very quickly.