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Peruvian sol
View on Wikipedia| Sol Peruano (Spanish) | |
|---|---|
2019 50 centimos coin | |
| ISO 4217 | |
| Code | PEN (numeric: 604) before: PEH, PEI, PES |
| Subunit | 0.01 |
| Unit | |
| Plural | soles |
| Symbol | S/ |
| Denominations | |
| Subunit | |
| 1⁄100 | céntimo |
| Plural | |
| céntimo | céntimos |
| Banknotes | |
| Freq. used | S/10, S/20, S/50, S/100 |
| Rarely used | S/200 |
| Coins | |
| Freq. used | 10, 20, 50 céntimos, S/1, S/2, S/5 |
| Rarely used | 1, 5 céntimos (discontinued, still legal tender) |
| Demographics | |
| Date of introduction | July 1, 1991 |
| Replaced | Peruvian inti |
| User(s) | Peru |
| Issuance | |
| Central bank | Central Reserve Bank of Peru |
| Website | www |
| Printer | Perum Peruri[1] |
| Website | www |
| Mint | National Mint (Casa Nacional de Moneda) |
| Valuation | |
| Inflation | 1.9% |
| Source | [2] January 2014 |
The sol (Spanish pronunciation: [sol]; plural: soles; currency sign: S/)[3] is the currency of Peru; it is subdivided into 100 céntimos ("cents"). The ISO 4217 currency code is PEN.
The sol replaced the Peruvian inti in 1991 and the name is a return to that of Peru's historic currency, as the previous incarnation of sol was in use from 1863 to 1985. Although sol in this usage is derived from the Latin solidus (lit. 'solid'), the word also means "sun" in Spanish. There is thus a continuity with the old Peruvian inti, which was named after Inti, the Sun God of the Incas.
At its introduction in 1991, the currency was officially called nuevo sol ("new sol"), until November 13, 2015, when Peru's Congress voted to rename the currency simply sol.[4][5]
History
[edit]Currencies in use before the current Peruvian sol include:
- The Spanish colonial real from the 16th to 19th centuries, with 8 reales equal to 1 peso.
- The Peruvian real from 1822 to 1863. Initially worth 1⁄8 peso, reales worth 1⁄10 peso were introduced in 1858 in their transition to a decimal currency system.
- The sol or sol de oro from 1863 to 1985, at 1 sol = 10 reales.
- The inti from 1985 to 1991, at 1 inti = 1,000 soles de oro.
Due to the bad state of economy and hyperinflation in the late 1980s, the government was forced to abandon the inti and introduce the sol as the country's new currency.[6] The new currency was put into use on July 1, 1991, by Law No. 25,295, to replace the inti at a rate of 1 sol to 1,000,000 intis, or one inti millón.[7] Coins denominated in the new unit were introduced on October 1, 1991, and the first banknotes on November 13, 1991. Since that time,[when?] the sol has retained an inflation rate of 1.5%, the lowest ever in either South America or Latin America as a whole.[8][failed verification] Since the new currency was put into effect, it has managed to maintain an exchange rate[9] between S/2.2 and S/4.13 per US dollar.
Coins
[edit]Coins were introduced in 1991 in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 céntimos and S/1.[7] Coins for S/2 and S/5 were added in 1994. The one- and five-céntimo coins fell out of use and the one-céntimo was removed from circulation on May 1, 2011 followed by the five-céntimos on January 1, 2019.[10] (For cash transactions retailers must round down to the nearest ten céntimos or up to the nearest five. Electronic transactions continue to be processed at the exact amount.)
All coins show the coat of arms of Peru surrounded by the text Banco Central de Reserva del Perú ("Central Reserve Bank of Peru") on the obverse; the reverse of each coin shows its denomination. Included in the designs of the bimetallic S/2 and S/5 coins are the hummingbird and condor figures from the Nazca Lines.[11]
| Image | Value | Diameter (mm) | Thickness (mm) | Mass (g) | Composition | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 céntimos | 20.5 | 1.26 | 3.50 | Brass | Smooth | |
| 20 céntimos | 23 | 4.40 | ||||
| 50 céntimos | 22 | 1.65 | 5.45 | Cu–Zn–Ni | Reeded | |
| S/1 | 25.5 | 7.32 | ||||
| S/2 | 22.2 | 2.07 | 5.62 | Bimetallic Outside ring: Steel Centre: Cu–Zn–Ni |
Smooth | |
| S/5 | 24.3 | 2.13 | 6.67 | Reeded (since 2009) |
Banknotes
[edit]Banknotes for S/10, S/20, S/50, and S/100 were introduced in 1991.[7] The banknote for S/200 was introduced in August 1995.[12] All notes are of the same size (140 x 65 mm) and contain the portrait of a well-known historic Peruvian on the obverse.[13]
A new series of banknotes was issued starting in 2021, beginning with the S/10 and S/100 notes in July 2021[14][15] and followed by the S/20 and S/50 notes in July 2022.[16] A S/200 note was released in December 2023.[17]
| Denomination | In circulation since | Colour | Person depicted on obverse | Reverse | Image (obverse) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S/10 | 1991
|
Green | North American NA-50 “Torito”
|
A Caproni Ca.113, flying upside-down
|
|||
2011
|
|||||||
2014
|
[1] | ||||||
2021
|
|||||||
| S/20 | 1991
|
Brown | Interior of Torre Tagle Palace, seat of Peru's Ministry of Foreign Relations
|
||||
2011
|
Huaca del Dragón, incorrectly named as Chan Chan
|
[2] | |||||
2022
|
|||||||
| S/50 | 1991
|
Orange | Oasis of Huacachina, Ica
|
||||
2011
|
New temple of Chavin de Huantar (Huaraz)
|
[3] | |||||
2022
|
Pink | Jaguar and Puya raimondii
|
|||||
| S/100 | 1992
|
Blue | |||||
2011
|
[4] | ||||||
2021
|
|||||||
| S/200 | 1995
|
Pink | |||||
2011
|
Gray | [5] | |||||
2023
|
Purple | Rupicola peruvianus, the Peruvian national bird, and Dalechampia aristolochiifolia
|
|||||
| Current PEN exchange rates | |
|---|---|
| From Google Finance: | AUD CAD CHF CNY EUR GBP HKD JPY USD BRL EUR JPY |
| From Yahoo! Finance: | AUD CAD CHF CNY EUR GBP HKD JPY USD BRL EUR JPY |
| From XE.com: | AUD CAD CHF CNY EUR GBP HKD JPY USD BRL EUR JPY |
| From OANDA: | AUD CAD CHF CNY EUR GBP HKD JPY USD BRL EUR JPY |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Peruri Cetak Uang Peru, Dibayar Rp255 Miliar". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ "6 Percent GDP Growth And The Lowest Inflation Rate In Latin America: Peru In 2014". International Business Times. January 14, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
- ^ "La moneda peruana tiene un nuevo símbolo: desde ayer es S/ no S/. según BCR". La Republica. January 6, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
- ^ "Moneda peruana cambiará de nombre de "nuevo sol" a "sol"". El Comercio de Perú. November 13, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ^ "Desde ayer la moneda peruana se llama "Sol"". El Comercio de Perú. December 16, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
- ^ San José State University Department of Economics, The economic history and the economy of Peru. Retrieved on July 11, 2007.
- ^ a b c (in Spanish) Law No. 25.295, Unidad Monetaria Nuevo Sol, January 3, 1991
- ^ (in Spanish) Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, Inflation Report, May 2007, Central Reserve Bank of Peru Archived 2007-06-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on July 11, 2007
- ^ "Peru's nuevo sol is the most stable currency in region". Peru This Week. July 2, 2012. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
- ^ "MONEDAS DE 5 CÉNTIMOS DEJARÁN DE CIRCULAR DESDE EL 1 DE ENERO DE 2019" (PDF). Central Reserve Bank of Peru (in Spanish). October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- ^ (in Spanish) Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, Cono Monetario. Retrieved on July 14, 2007.
- ^ (in Spanish) Circular letter N°028-97-EF/90, August 26, 1997, Central Reserve Bank of Peru
- ^ (in Spanish) Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, Familia de Billetes. Retrieved on July 14, 2007.
- ^ "Nuevo billete de S/ 10". Multimedia.bcrp.gob.pe. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ "Nuevo billete de S/ 100". Multimedia.bcrp.gob.pe. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ "ShieldSquare Captcha" (PDF). Bbcrp.gob.pe. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ RedacciónRPP (2023-12-15). "BCR pone en circulación billete de S/200 con nuevo diseño | RPP Noticias". rpp.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-12-15.
- Bruce, Colin R. II (senior editor) (2006). 2007 Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1901–2000 (34th ed.). Krause Publications. pp. 1463–1465. ISBN 0896893650.
{{cite book}}:|author1=has generic name (help) - Cuhaj, George S., ed. (2005). Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: Modern Issues 1961-Date (11th ed.). Krause Publications. pp. 659–661. ISBN 0-89689-160-7.
External links
[edit]- Banknotes and Coins from the Central Bank of Peru
- Historical banknotes of Peru (in English and German)
- Currency in Peru (in English and Spanish)
Peruvian sol
View on GrokipediaGeneral Information
Etymology and Symbol
The name "sol" for Peru's currency originates from the Latin word solidus, referring to a Roman gold coin used in the Roman Empire, which later influenced various Spanish colonial monetary units during the era of Spanish rule in the Americas. This etymological root reflects the historical ties to European coinage traditions, with "sol" also meaning "sun" in Spanish, evoking imagery of the Inca sun god Inti and Peru's cultural heritage. The term was formally adopted in 1863 when Peru introduced the sol as its first decimal-based currency unit, replacing the earlier real system at a rate of 1 sol to 10 reales, marking a shift toward modern monetary standardization.[2][10][11][12] The official international designation for the Peruvian sol follows the ISO 4217 standard, with the three-letter code PEN and the numeric code 604; these were assigned to the modern iteration of the currency following its redenomination in 1991 to combat hyperinflation. The currency symbol is typically "S/", placed before the numerical amount in financial notation (e.g., S/ 100), though "PEN" may also be used in international contexts for clarity. In practice, the symbol relies on standard ASCII characters rather than a unique Unicode glyph, distinguishing it from currencies like the Paraguayan guaraní (₲).[13][14][15][2] Upon its reintroduction in 1991 as a replacement for the inti at a rate of 1 nuevo sol to 1,000,000 intis, the currency was officially named "nuevo sol" (new sol) to signify economic renewal under the administration of President Alberto Fujimori. This name persisted until December 15, 2015, when a law passed by the Peruvian Congress simplified it to simply "sol," aligning with the stabilization and enduring use of the currency issued by the Central Reserve Bank of Peru.[2][10][16]Issuing Authority and Legal Status
The Central Reserve Bank of Peru (Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, BCRP), established in 1922, serves as the sole issuer of Peruvian sol notes and coins, a role it has held exclusively since the currency's introduction in 1991.[1][17] The legal foundation for the sol as Peru's official currency is rooted in the 1993 Peruvian Constitution, particularly Article 84, which designates the BCRP as an autonomous public law entity tasked with preserving monetary stability and regulating currency issuance.[18] This is further defined by Law No. 25295 of 1991, which established the nuevo sol (later renamed sol) as the national monetary unit, divisible into 100 céntimos, and affirmed it as unlimited legal tender throughout the country.[1][19] Complementary to these, Law No. 26702, the General Law of the Financial System, supports the BCRP's regulatory framework by outlining its authority in monetary operations and financial oversight, ensuring the sol's status without parallel currencies. The BCRP operates with constitutional independence, free from direct government interference in its decision-making, enabling it to pursue monetary stability through tools such as reserve requirements, which adjust banks' liquidity holdings to control credit expansion, and open market operations, involving the buying and selling of securities to influence short-term interest rates and money supply.[18][20] Additionally, the BCRP oversees currency production via the Casa de Moneda del Perú (Peruvian Mint), its dedicated facility for minting coins, ensuring quality and security in circulation.[17] Since its conversion from the inti in 1991 at a rate of 1 sol to 1,000,000 intis, the sol has remained Peru's exclusive legal tender, with no dual-currency arrangements or regional exceptions.[1] The currency's international recognition is reinforced by its ISO 4217 code PEN, which aligns with its constitutional and statutory definition as the sole national unit.Historical Development
Pre-20th Century Origins
The Spanish colonial period profoundly shaped Peru's early monetary system, with the Viceroyalty of Peru relying on silver-based currencies such as the real and the escudo, minted primarily at the Lima Mint, established by royal decree in 1565 under Philip II to process vast quantities of Potosí silver.[21] These coins, including the widely circulated eight-real piece known as the peso or "piece of eight," facilitated trade across the Spanish Empire and served as the dominant medium of exchange in Peru until the country's independence in 1821.[22] Post-independence, Peru retained the peso system under a bimetallic standard, where silver pesos circulated alongside limited gold coins, though economic instability and reliance on imported Bolivian "feeble" pesos often led to fluctuations in value and widespread use of foreign currencies.[23] A pivotal reform came on February 14, 1863, when Peru enacted decimalization, introducing the sol as the new national currency to replace the peso at a rate of 1 sol equaling 10 reales (or 1 peso), subdivided into 100 centavos for streamlined accounting and international alignment.[24] The initial sol coins, minted at the Lima Mint, were silver pieces weighing 25 grams at 0.900 fineness, featuring republican symbols such as the liberty cap, condor, and national coat of arms to signify Peru's sovereignty.[22] Common denominations included the 1/10 sol (dinero) and 1 sol silver coins, produced to facilitate everyday transactions while funding came partly from a 1862 international loan that imported gold reserves.[24] Throughout the late 19th century, Peru's monetary framework experienced ongoing adjustments amid bimetallic tensions, as the relative values of gold and silver fluctuated globally due to discoveries like the California and Nevada silver rushes. In 1880, the country formalized a silver standard, emphasizing silver soles to leverage abundant domestic production and stabilize the economy post-guano boom, though this exposed Peru to international silver price volatility.[25] An attempt to shift to a gold standard occurred in 1897 with the introduction of the Peruvian libra (pound), pegged at 10 soles and backed by gold reserves, aiming to attract foreign investment; however, economic instability from war debts and commodity dependence led to its limited implementation and eventual challenges in the early 20th century.[22] These efforts laid the groundwork for the sol's role but set the stage for later hyperinflationary pressures as export revenues waned.[22]20th Century Reforms and Hyperinflation
In the early 1930s, Peru faced mounting economic pressures from the global Great Depression, which prompted the abandonment of the gold standard. Amid declining exports and balance-of-payments deficits, the Central Reserve Bank suspended gold convertibility in May 1932, following recommendations from the Kemmerer Mission in 1931 that had initially aimed to establish a gold bullion standard with a 30% devaluation of the sol.[26] This shift marked the transition to a fiat currency system, allowing the government to finance fiscal deficits through seigniorage rather than gold reserves, which contributed to initial inflationary pressures and a floating exchange rate that depreciated to around 4.9 soles per U.S. dollar by 1937.[26] The policy reflected broader Latin American responses to the crisis, including temporary suspensions in countries like Chile and Mexico during 1931–32.[27] Hyperinflation in Peru escalated from the 1960s through the 1980s, driven by a combination of political instability, external oil shocks, and persistent fiscal deficits financed by monetary expansion. Under President Fernando Belaúnde's second term (1980–1985), neoliberal policies including privatization of state enterprises, tariff reductions, and IMF-backed fiscal restraint aimed to curb inflation, which stood at 61% in 1980; however, external shocks like the 1982–1983 El Niño phenomenon and rising debt service exacerbated deficits, leading to inflation doubling to over 100% by 1985 and a 35% drop in real wages.[28][29] The subsequent administration of Alan García (1985–1990) pursued heterodox measures, such as limiting debt payments to 10% of export earnings, freezing exchange rates, imposing price controls, and expanding public spending, which initially boosted GDP by 16% in 1986–1987 but depleted reserves from $1.4 billion to $81 million by 1987, triggering hyperinflation that peaked at 7,649% in 1990.[28][29] These episodes were compounded by military coups in 1968, import-substitution industrialization failures, and adverse terms of trade from oil price hikes in the 1970s, resulting in stagflation, a sharp decline in GDP per capita, and widespread resource misallocation.[29] To combat the sol's rapid devaluation amid these crises, Peru undertook key redenominations. In 1985, as inflation reached 163%, the government introduced the inti as the new currency unit, equivalent to 1,000 soles de oro, to simplify transactions and restore confidence; inti-denominated notes were issued up to 500,000 intis during its circulation until 1991.[29] Earlier efforts, such as the 1930 replacement of the Peruvian pound with the sol-oro at a 10:1 ratio and an 18% gold parity devaluation, had laid groundwork for fiat adjustments but proved insufficient against later inflationary surges.[26] IMF interventions, including stabilization programs in the late 1970s and support for Belaúnde's orthodoxy, offered temporary relief but failed to address underlying fiscal dominance, culminating in the hyperinflationary collapse that necessitated the 1991 introduction of the modern sol.[28][29]Introduction of the Modern Sol (1991)
The Peruvian government under President Alberto Fujimori implemented a comprehensive economic shock therapy program, known as the "Fujishock," starting in August 1990 to address severe hyperinflation and economic instability inherited from the previous administration.[30] This neoliberal reform package included fiscal austerity, price liberalization, and monetary tightening, culminating in the currency overhaul enacted through Ley Nº 25295 on December 31, 1990, which established the nuevo sol as the new monetary unit, effective July 1, 1991, at an exchange rate of 1 nuevo sol equaling 1,000,000 intis.[31] The reform aimed to restore confidence in the monetary system by breaking the cycle of rapid devaluation that had plagued the inti since its introduction in 1985.[30] The introduction of the nuevo sol was bolstered by complementary stability measures, including aggressive privatization of state-owned enterprises and trade liberalization to open markets and attract foreign investment.[30] These policies contributed to a dramatic reduction in inflation, from 7,482% in 1990 to 409% in 1991, marking the beginning of sustained macroeconomic stabilization after years of hyperinflation exceeding 2 million percent cumulatively from 1985 to 1990.[32] By signaling a commitment to orthodox economic management, the reforms helped rebuild public and investor trust, laying the foundation for Peru's integration into global markets. The first series of nuevo sol coins was issued on October 1, 1991, by the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, replacing higher-denomination inti coins (from 1 to 500,000 intis) that were gradually withdrawn and converted at the official rate.[33] The initial denominations included 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 céntimos, as well as 1, 2, and 5 soles, designed to facilitate everyday transactions while reflecting the new unit's subdivisions into 100 céntimos.[1] These coins featured national symbols such as the coat of arms and Inca motifs, emphasizing cultural heritage alongside economic renewal.[1] In recognition of the currency's long-term stability, the "nuevo" prefix was officially removed in 2015 through Ley Nº 30381, renaming it simply the sol to symbolize its enduring role in the economy without implying temporariness.[34] This change took effect on December 15, 2015, and applied retroactively to all prior references, streamlining legal and commercial usage.[34]Current Denominations
Coins in Circulation
The coins currently in circulation for the Peruvian sol are denominated in 10, 20, and 50 céntimos, as well as 1, 2, and 5 soles.[1] Lower-value 1 and 5 céntimo coins, originally introduced in 1991, were withdrawn from circulation on May 1, 2011, and January 1, 2019, respectively, due to their minimal usage amid ongoing inflation that rendered them impractical for transactions.[35][36] This phasing out aligns with broader trends where smaller denominations see reduced demand as prices rise, promoting efficiency in everyday payments.[37] These coins are produced by the Casa de Moneda del Perú, the national mint in Lima, using durable materials to withstand circulation.[1] The 10, 20, and 50 céntimo coins are composed of alpaca, a silver-colored nickel-brass alloy, while the 1 sol coin uses a nickel-brass alloy.[1] The higher-value 2 and 5 soles coins feature a bimetallic construction, with a brass center in a stainless steel ring, which serves as both a security measure and a distinctive tactile identifier.[1] Design elements on the coins emphasize Peruvian heritage and national symbols. The obverse of all denominations displays the national coat of arms, the inscription "Banco Central de Reserva del Perú," and the year of minting.[1] On the reverse, the 1 sol coin depicts the ancient Chan Chan citadel in Trujillo, a UNESCO World Heritage site representing Chimu culture; the 2 soles coin shows the hummingbird geoglyph from the Nazca Lines; and the 5 soles coin illustrates the frigate bird geoglyph from the same archaeological complex.[1] Céntimo coins feature a central curved stem flanked by laurel and oak leaves, incorporating the logo of the Casa de Moneda del Perú and geometric motifs for ornamental detail.[1] These designs, part of the series introduced since 2011-2012, replaced earlier versions to improve durability and aesthetic appeal while highlighting cultural landmarks.[38] Production specifications vary by denomination to balance portability and robustness. For instance, the 1 sol coin weighs 7.32 grams and measures 25.5 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge to deter counterfeiting. The bimetallic 5 soles coin, at 6.67 grams and 24.38 mm in diameter, includes latent security features like the metallic ring separation visible under light. Similarly, the 50 céntimos coin, made of alpaca, has a weight of 5.5 grams and a 22 mm diameter, with milled edges for grip and authenticity verification. These attributes ensure the coins remain practical for vending machines and manual handling while incorporating anti-counterfeiting elements such as edge lettering on select pieces and precise alloy compositions detectable by standard testing equipment.[39][40][41]| Denomination | Material | Diameter (mm) | Weight (g) | Key Reverse Design |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 céntimos | Alpaca | 20.5 | 3.43 | Laurel/oak leaves with mint logo |
| 20 céntimos | Alpaca | 23 | 4.4 | Laurel/oak leaves with mint logo |
| 50 céntimos | Alpaca | 22 | 5.5 | Laurel/oak leaves with mint logo |
| 1 sol | Nickel-brass | 25.5 | 7.32 | Chan Chan citadel |
| 2 soles | Bimetallic (brass center in steel ring) | 22.38 | 5.58 | Nazca hummingbird |
| 5 soles | Bimetallic (brass center in steel ring) | 24.38 | 6.67 | Nazca frigate bird |
