Tanzanian shilling

Tanzanian shilling
Shilingi ya Tanzania (Swahili)
1000 shillings Bank of Tanzania
ISO 4217 code	TZS
Central bank	Bank of Tanzania
Website	www.bot.go.tz
User(s)	Tanzania
Inflation	11.6%
Source	The World Factbook, 2009 est.
Subunit
1/100	senti
Symbol	x/y (see article)
Coins	50, 100, 200 shilingi
Banknotes	500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000 shilingi

The shilingi (Swahili; English: shilling; sign: TSh; code: TZS) is the currency of Tanzania, although widespread use of U.S. dollars is accepted. It is subdivided into 100 senti (cents in English). The Tanzanian shilling replaced the East African shilling on 14 June 1966 at par.^[1]

For earlier currencies used in Tanzania, see East African florin, East African rupee, Zanzibari rupee, Zanzibari riyal and German East African rupie.

Symbol

Amount in the Tanzanian shilingi is written in the form of x/y, where x is the amount above 1 shilingi, while y is the amount in senti. An equals sign or hyphen represent zero amount. For example, 50 senti is written as "=/50" or "-/50", while 100 shilingi is written as "100/=" or "100/-".

Coins

In 1966, coins were introduced in denominations of 5, 20 and 50 senti and 1 shilingi, with the 5 senti struck in bronze, the 20 senti in nickel-brass and the 50 senti and 1 shilingi in cupro-nickel. Cupro-nickel 5 shilingi coins were introduced in 1972, followed by scalloped, nickel-brass 10 senti in 1977. This First Series coins set, in circulation from 1966 up to 1984, was designed by Christopher Ironside OBE.^[2]

In 1987, nickel-clad steel replaced cupro-nickel in the 50 senti and 1 shilingi, and cupro-nickel 5 and 10 shilingi coins were introduced, with the 5 shilingi octagonal in shape. In 1990, nickel-clad-steel 5, 10 and 20 shilingi were introduced, followed by brass coins for 100 shilingi in 1994, 50 shilingi in 1996 and 200 shilingi in 1998.

Coins currently in circulation are the 50, 100 and 200 shilingi.

Banknotes

On 14 June 1966, the Benki Kuu Ya Tanzania (Bank of Tanzania) introduced notes for 5, 10, 20 and 100 shilingi (also denominated in shillings on the first series of notes). The 5 shilingi note was replaced by a coin in 1972. 50 shilingi notes were introduced in 1985, followed by 200 shilingi in 1986, 500 shilingi in 1989 and 1000 shilingi in 1990. The 10, 20, 50 and 100 shilingi notes were replaced by coins in 1987, 1990, 1996 and 1994, respectively. 5000 and 10,000 shilingi notes were introduced in 1995, followed by 2000 shilingi in 2003. A new series of notes came out in 2011. These new notes include many security features that prevent counterfeiting.^[3][4]

Banknotes in circulation today are 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10,000 shilingi.

2003 Series
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main Colour	Description			Date of issue
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	Watermark
		500/= (Shilingi Mia Tano)	130 × 63 mm	Green	African Buffalo	Nkrumah Hall, University of Dar es Salaam	Giraffe	2003
		1000/= (Shilingi Elfu Moja)	135 × 66 mm	Blue-violet	Julius Nyerere	Statehouse, Dar es Salaam
		2000/= (Shilingi Elfu Mbili)	140 × 69 mm	Orange-brown	Lion, Mount Kilimanjaro	Old Fort, Stone Town, Zanzibar
		5000/= (Shilingi Elfu Tano)	145 × 72 mm	Purple	Black Rhinoceros	Geita gold Mine and House of Wonders Zanzibar
		10 000/= (Shilingi Elfu Kumi)	150 × 75 mm	Red	Elephant	Bank of Tanzania
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixels per millimeter.

See also

• Economy of Tanzania

References

• Krause, Chester L., and 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. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Money of Tanzania.

• Bank of Tanzania page on circulating banknotes

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