Honduran lempira
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ISO 4217 Code | HNL |
| User(s) | Honduras |
| Inflation | 8.8% |
| Source | The World Factbook, 2005 |
| Subunit | |
| 1/100 | centavo |
| Symbol | L |
| Coins | 10, 20, 50 centavos |
| Banknotes | L1, L2, L5, L10, L20, L50, L100, L500 |
| Central bank | Banco Central de Honduras |
| Website | www.bch.hn |
The lempira (ISO 4217 code: HNL) is the currency of Honduras. It was introduced in 1931, replacing the peso at par.
The exchange rate was two lempiras to the U.S. dollar in the late 1980s (a twenty-cent coin is called a daime as it used to be worth the same as a U.S. dime). By December 2004, the exchange rate had gone up to around 18.75 HNL to 1 USD. During 2005 it stabilized at 19 HNL to 1 USD where it remains in August 2006.
The lempira is named after the 16th-century cacique Lempira, a ruler of the indigenous Lenca people, who is renowned in Honduran folklore for leading the (ultimately unsuccessful) local native resistance against the Spanish conquistador forces. He is a national hero, and is honored on both the one lempira bill (which is red) and on the 50 cent coin.
The capital of Gracias a Dios department, Puerto Lempira, is also named after him, as is the department of Lempira.
[edit] Coins
The different values for lempira coins are:
- 0.10 lempira - No Face
- 0.20 lempira - face of Lempira
- 0.50 lempira - face of Lempira
though in practice the highest coin is worth USD 0.0263, making Honduras effectively a coinless society.
[edit] Banknotes
Banknotes are issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500.
These banknotes depict the following figures from Honduran history:
| Image | Value | Color | Dimensions | Obverse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
L1 | Red | 156 × 67 mm | Lempira |
 |
L2 | Purple | Marco Aurelio Soto | |
 |
L5 | Blue | Francisco Morazan | |
 |
L10 | Brown | Jose Trinidad Cabañas | |
 |
L20 | Green | Dionisio de Herrera | |
 |
L50 | Cyan | Juan Manuel Galvez | |
 |
L100 | Orange | Jose Cecilio del Valle | |
 |
L500 | Violet | Ramon Rosa |
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