Tanzanian shilling

Tanzanian shilling
Shillingi ya Tanzania  (Swahili)
1000 shillingsBank 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
Coins 50, 100, 200, 500 shilingi
Banknotes 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000 shilingi

The shillingi (Swahili; English: shilling; sign: TSh; code: TZS) is the currency of Tanzania. 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

Main article: Solidus (symbol)

Amount in the Tanzanian shilling is written in the form of x/y, where x is the amount above 1 shillingi, 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 shillingi, with the 5 senti struck in bronze, the 20 senti in nickel-brass and the 50 senti and 1 shillingi in cupro-nickel. Cupro-nickel 5 shillingi 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 shillingi coins were introduced, with the 5 shilingi octagonal in shape. In 1990, nickel-clad-steel 5, 10 and 20 shillingi 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. A 500 shilingi coin was issued on the 8 September 2014 [3]

Banknotes

On 14 June 1966, the Benki Kuu Ya Tanzania (Bank of Tanzania) introduced notes for 5, 10, 20 and 100 shillingi (also denominated in shillings on the first series of notes). The 5 shillingi note was replaced by a coin in 1972. 50 shillingi notes were introduced in 1985, followed by 200 shilingi in 1986, 500 shillingi in 1989 and 1000 shillingi in 1990. The 10, 20, 50 and 100 shillingi notes were replaced by coins in 1987, 1990, 1996 and 1994, respectively. 5000 and 10,000 shillingi 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.[4][5]

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/= (Shillingi Elfu Mbili) 140 × 69 mm Orange-brown Lion, Mount Kilimanjaro Old Fort, Stone Town, Zanzibar
5000/= (Shillingi Elfu Tano) 145 × 72 mm Purple Black Rhinoceros Geita gold Mine and House of Wonders Zanzibar
10 000/= (Shillingi Elfu Kumi) 150 × 75 mm Red Elephant Bank of Tanzania
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixels per millimeter.
2011 Series[6]
Image Value Dimensions Main Color Description Date of issue Date of first issue Watermark
Obverse Reverse
500 /= (Shilingi Mia Tano) 120 x 60 mm Green Tanzanian coat of arms; Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume University of Dar es Salaam central hall building; graduating students wearing caps and gowns; Aesculap's rod 2011 1 January 2010 Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 500
1000 /= (Shillingi Elfu Moja) 125 x 65 mm Blue Tanzanian coat of arms; President Julius Kambarage Nyerere; Bismarck Rock in Mwanza Harbor Coffee plant; State House (Ikulu) building with flag in Dar es Salaam Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 1000
2000 /= (Shilingi Elfu Mbili) 130 x 66 mm Orange Tanzanian coat of arms; Lion Palm trees; old Omani Arab Fort (Ngome Kongwe) in Zanzibar’s Stone Town; carved block Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 2000
5000 /= (Shillingi Elfu Tano) 135 x 67 mm Purple Tanzanian coat of arms; plant; black rhinoceros Cyanid Leaching plant of the gold mines of Geita Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 5000
10,000 /= (Shilingi Elfu Kumi) 140 x 68 mm Red Tanzanian coat of arms; Elephant Flowers; Bank of Tanzania headquarters building in Dar es Salaam Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 10000
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixels per millimeter.
Current TZS exchange rates
From Google Finance: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY
From Yahoo! Finance: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY
From XE: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY
From OANDA: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY
From fxtop.com: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY
From Currency.Wiki: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY

See also

References

Notes

  1. Linzmayer, Owen (2012). "Tanzania". The Banknote Book. San Francisco, CA: www.BanknoteNews.com.
  2. Currency Department Operations. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
  3. http://www.bot.go.tz/Adverts/PressRelease/IMG-20140907-WA0006.jpg
  4. Tanzania new note family confirmed BanknoteNews.com. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  5. The Citizen. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  6. http://banknotenews.com/files/5396d76d4ec01aed72fea11b03d38671-1377.php

Sources

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Money of Tanzania.
Preceded by:
East African shilling
Reason: currency independence
Ratio: at par
Note: independent shilling introduced in 1966, but EA shilling not demonetized until 1969
Currency of Tanzania
1966
Succeeded by:
Current