BANKNOTES OF ARMENIA
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Date |
Pick# |
Denomination |
Observations |
Obverse |
Reverse |
1993 |
33 |
10 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Monument to David of Sasoun, symbolizing freedom-loving
nature of Armenian people
Reverse Design: Mountain of Ararat |
1993 |
34 |
25 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Picture of lion of Erebouni foster and cuneiform stone
Reverse Design: Ornaments |
1993 |
35 |
50 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Buildings of State History Museum and Gallery
Reverse Design: Building of National Assembly |
1993 |
36 |
100 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Church of Zvartnots (641-661)-one of the most significant
constructions in Armenia
Reverse Design: The Building of Theatre of Opera and Ballet |
1993 |
37 |
200 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Church of Saint Hripsime (built in 618)
Reverse Design: Ornaments |
1993 |
38 |
500 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design:
Reverse Design: |
1994 |
39 |
1000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design:
Reverse Design: |
1995 |
40 |
5000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design:
Reverse Design: |
1998 |
41 |
50 Dram |
|
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian great composer Aram Khachatryan (1903-1978) and
House of Opera
Reverse Design: An episode from "Gayaneh" ballet and mountain of
Ararat |
1998 |
41 |
50 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian great composer Aram Khachatryan (1903-1978) and
House of Opera
Reverse Design: An episode from "Gayaneh" ballet and mountain of
Ararat |
1998 |
42 |
100 Dram |
|
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian astrophisic Victor Hambartsumyan (1908-1996) and
depiction of space
Reverse Design: The Building of Byurakan observatory and
telescope |
1998 |
42 |
100 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian astrophisic Victor Hambartsumyan (1908-1996) and
depiction of space
Reverse Design: The Building of Byurakan observatory and
telescope |
1999 |
44 |
500 Dram |
|
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian great architect Alexander Tamanyan (1878-1936)
Reverse Design: The House of the Government of the Republic of
Armenia |
1999 |
44 |
500 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian great architect Alexander Tamanyan (1878-1936)
Reverse Design: The House of the Government of the Republic of
Armenia |
1999 |
45 |
1000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: A portrait of an Armenian famous writer Yeghishe Charents
Reverse Design: A picture of old Yerevan - a two-storeyed
building and a carriage harnessed by two horses |
1999 |
46 |
5000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian great writer Hovhannes Tumanyan (1869-1923)
Reverse Design: M.Saryan's picture depicting nature of Lory. |
1999 |
48 |
20,000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian famous painter Martiros Saryan (1880-1972)
Reverse Design: A fragment from Saryan's landscape "Armenia" |
2001 |
49 |
50,000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Depiction of Mother Cathedral of Holy Echmiadzin
Reverse Design: Armenian Church in the hands of Saint Gregory the
illuminator and the king Tiridat the Great |
2001 |
50 |
1000 Dram |
|
|
|
Obverse
Design: A portrait of an Armenian famous writer Yeghishe Charents
Reverse Design: A picture of old Yerevan - a two-storeyed
building and a carriage harnessed by two horses |
2001 |
50 |
1000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: A portrait of an Armenian famous writer Yeghishe Charents
Reverse Design: A picture of old Yerevan - a two-storeyed
building and a carriage harnessed by two horses |
2003 |
51 |
5000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian great writer Hovhannes Tumanyan (1869-1923)
Reverse Design: M.Saryan's picture depicting nature of Lory. |
2003 |
52 |
10,000 Dram |
SPECIMEN |
|
|
Obverse
Design: Armenian great writer Avetik Isahakyan (1875-1957)
Reverse Design: Depiction of Gyumri of the beginning of the 20th
century |
From 1924 until 1993 Armenia used Soviet
banknotes and coins.
Click here to see the notes of the former Soviet Union
NB: Pick #43 and #47 were skipped in the Standard Catalogue of World Paper Money
Vol III as they were anticipating the issue of new 200 Dram and 10,000 Dram
notes in the 1999 series. This section has yet to be renumbered.
The history of the currency of the Armenia
Armenia formerly a soviet socialist republic within
the USSR., gained its' independence by referendum in
1991. In 1993 the Central Bank of Armenia was founded and was given the task of
creating Armenia's national currency. It was decided to call the new
currency the "Dram", the Armenian word meaning money. The new national currency
went into circulation in November of 1993 at a rate of 200 Russian rubles to one
dram. Initially in late 1993 only banknotes were put into circulation with
Russian currency circulating alongside the dram. The first series of
banknotes were issued in denominations of 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 Dram, later
that year a 1000 Dram note was issued as well. It was not until January of the
new year that the bank started to mint its' own coins. In 1998 The Central Bank
released a new series of banknotes, and in 2003 the coins were again redesigned.
The 50, 100 and 200 Dram notes were removed from circulation and replaced with
coins, these notes lost along with the original series lost their legal tender
status in 2004 but are exchangeable at any commercial bank in Armenia without
time limit. There is a new bi-metal 500 Dram which has been put into
circulation which circulates alongside the 500 Dram note. At the time of
writing, there has been no move to remove the current 500 Dram note from
circulation.
The ISO 4217 code for the Armenian Dram is AMD and the Dram is divided into 100
luma. Due to the nominal value luma are not used in transactions today and the
lowest coin is 10 Dram.
Currently banknotes in Armenia come in denominations of 500, 1000, 5000, 10 000,
20 000 and 50 000 Dram and coins come in 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Dram. The
Central Bank of Armenia is the sole issuer of banknotes and coins in the
Republic
BANKNOTE NEWSWIRE
Armenia will be releasing a new 10,000 Dram note on 31 May 2006
See Article HERE.
Other Armenian banknote resources on the web:
Central Bank of Armenia
Armenia's Central Bank website, it is available in English
as well as of course Armenian, it has a section dedicated to Armenian banknotes
with photos. The Central Bank of Armenia does have a numismatic program and
there is info on their site about obtaining Armenian commemorative coins and
other numismatic items.
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Page created: 4 June 2006
Last Update: 13 June 2006
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