Bolivian boliviano
The boliviano (sign: Bs[1][2] ISO 4217 code: BOB) is the currency of Bolivia. It is divided into 100 cents or centavos in Spanish. Boliviano was also the name of the currency of Bolivia between 1864 and 1963. From April 2018, the manager of the Central Bank of Bolivia, Pablo Ramos, announced the introduction of the new family of banknotes of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, started with the 10 Bs note, and then gradually arrived to introduce the 200 Bs note, presented in April 2019.[3] The new family of banknotes of the Plurinational State received several awards such as "the best banknotes in Latin America", was highlighted by its security measures, its aesthetics and its inclusion of prominent figures in Bolivian history, being among those who awarded the "Latin American High Security Printing Press Conference".[4]
| Bolivian boliviano | |
|---|---|
| boliviano boliviano (Spanish) | |
 10 centavos to 5 bolivianos | |
| ISO 4217 | |
| Code | BOB |
| Number | 068 |
| Exponent | 2 |
| Denominations | |
| Subunit | |
| 1⁄100 | centavo |
| Symbol | Bs[1][2] |
| centavo | c.[1] |
| Banknotes | Bs10, 20, 50, 100, 200[1] |
| Coins | c.10, 20, 50; Bs1, 2, 5[1] |
| Demographics | |
| Date of introduction | 1 January 1987 |
| Replaced | Bolivian peso |
| User(s) | Bolivia |
| Issuance | |
| Central bank | Banco Central de Bolivia |
| Website | www |
| Valuation | |
| Inflation | 4.3% |
| Source | The World Factbook, 2009 est. |
First boliviano
The first boliviano was introduced in 1864. It was equivalent to eight soles or half a scudo in the former currency. Initially, it was subdivided into 100 centécimos but this was altered to centavos in 1870. The name bolivar was used for an amount of ten bolivianos.
Second boliviano
Following many years of rampant inflation, the bolivian peso was replaced in 1987 by a new boliviano at a rate of one million to one ( when 1 US dollar was worth 1.8/1.9 million pesos ). At that time, 1 new boliviano was roughly equivalent to 1 U.S. dollar.
Coins
In 1988, stainless-steel 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 centavo and 1 boliviano (dated 1987) coins were introduced, followed by stainless-steel 2 bolivianos in 1991. Copper-plated steel 10 centavos were introduced in 1997 and bi-metallic 5 bolivianos in 2001. The 2 and 5 centavo coins are no longer in circulation. The 2 boliviano coin has been minted in two sizes, both of which remain legal tender. The smaller 2 boliviano coin is almost the same as the 1 boliviano coin, leading to potential confusion, although the 2 boliviano coins are undecagonal whilst the 1 boliviano coins are round. All the coins in Bolivia has the obverse the number of the amount of money with the inscription "La union es la Fuerza" ("Union is strength" in Spanish) and in the reverse the coat of arms of Bolivia with the inscription "Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia" (Plurinational state of Bolivia).
| Value | Technical parameters | Description | Date of issue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diameter | Mass | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | ||
| 10 Boliviano centavos | 18.9 mm | 1.85 grams | Copper-plated steel | Plain | "LA UNIÓN ES LA FUERZA"; "10 CENTAVOS"; Date of issue | "ESTADO PLURINACIONAL DE BOLIVIA" (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA); Coat of arms of Bolivia | 2010 |
| 20 Boliviano centavos | 22 mm | 3.25 grams | Nickel-plated steel | Plain | "LA UNIÓN ES LA FUERZA"; "20 CENTAVOS"; Date of issue | "ESTADO PLURINACIONAL DE BOLIVIA" (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA); Coat of arms of Bolivia | 2010 |
| 50 Boliviano centavos | 24 mm | 3.75 grams | Stainless steel | Plain | "LA UNIÓN ES LA FUERZA"; "50 CENTAVOS"; Date of issue | "ESTADO PLURINACIONAL DE BOLIVIA" (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA); Coat of arms of Bolivia | 2010 |
| 1 Boliviano | 27 mm | 5 grams | Stainless steel | Plain | "LA UNIÓN ES LA FUERZA"; "1 BOLIVIANO"; Date of issue | "ESTADO PLURINACIONAL DE BOLIVIA" (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA); Coat of arms of Bolivia | 2010 |
| 2 Bolivianos | 29 mm | 7 grams | Stainless steel | Plain | "LA UNIÓN ES LA FUERZA"; "2 BOLIVIANOS"; Date of issue | "ESTADO PLURINACIONAL DE BOLIVIA" (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA); Coat of arms of Bolivia | 2010 |
| 5 Bolivianos | 23 mm | 5 grams | Bi-metallic coin consisting of a Bronze-plated steel center plug with a Stainless steel outer ring | Reeded | "LA UNIÓN ES LA FUERZA"; "5 BOLIVIANOS"; Date of issue | "ESTADO PLURINACIONAL DE BOLIVIA" (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA); Coat of arms of Bolivia | 2010 |
Banknotes
In 1987, peso boliviano banknotes were overprinted with denominations in centavos and bolivianos to produce provisional issues of 1, 5, 10 and 50 centavos, and 1, 5 and 10 bolivianos. Regular issues followed the same year in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 bolivianos. The 2 boliviano note was replaced by a coin in 1991, with the same happening to the 5 boliviano in 2001, although the Bolivian central bank still lists the 5 boliviano note as "in circulation" -The 10 Bolivianos bill has in the obverse to the painter Cecilio Guzman and reverse an image of city of Cochabamba. -The 20 Boliviano bill has in the obverse to the lawyer Pantaleon Dalence and in the reverse an image of The Golden Colonial House of Tarija. The 50 Boliviano bill has in the obverse to the painter Melchor Perez and in the reverse you can see the Tower of Church of the Society of Jesus in the city of Potosi- The 100 Boliviano bill has in the obverse of the great historian Gabriel Rene Moreno and the reverse one image of the Mayor Real and Papal University of Saint Francisco Xavier of Chuquisaca in the capital, the city of Sucre, the 200 Boliviano bill has to the obverse to the writer and former president of Bolivia, Franz Tamayo and in the reverse an image of ruins of the Pre-Inca empire of Tihuanaco in the shores of Lake Titicaca in the state or department of La Paz As of 2013. The 2 and 5 Bolivianos bills are officially out of circulation. .
In 2018, the Central Bank of Bolivia (Banco Central de Bolivia) unveiled a new family of banknotes, and will be issued by order of denomination. The notes are the first to bear the formal name of Bolivia "Estado Plurinacional de Boliva" (Plurinational State of Bolivia), to reflect the multiculturalism of the country and all of its citizens.
| Image | Value | Main Color | Obverse | Reverse | Watermark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 bolivianos | Black | Antonio Vaca Diez | Pando refuge | Simón Bolívar | |
| 5 bolivianos | Olive-green | Adela Zamudio | Virgen del Socavon church | Simón Bolívar | |
| 10 bolivianos | Blue | Cecilio Guzman de Rojas | "Heroinas de la Coronilla" monument in Cochabamba | Simón Bolívar | |
| 20 bolivianos | Orange | Pantaleon Dalence | Casa Dorada in Tarija | Simón Bolívar | |
| 50 bolivianos | Purple | Melchor Pérez de Holguin | Torre de la Compañia | Simón Bolívar | |
| 100 bolivianos | Red | Gabriel René Moreno | San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca University in Sucre | Simón Bolívar | |
| 200 bolivianos | Brown | Franz Tamayo | Tiahuanaco | Simón Bolívar | |
| Image | Value | Main Color | Obverse | Reverse | Watermark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 bolivianos | Blue | José Santos Vargas "El Tambor Vargas", Apiaguaiki Tumpa, Eustaquio Méndez "El Moto Méndez". Umajalanta Cavern (Torotoro National Park) | Landscape of Isla del Pescado in Salar de Uyuni salt flat. Giant hummingbird and Puya raimondii | José Santos Vargas, drum and electrotype 10 | |
| 20 bolivianos | Orange | Genoveva Ríos, Tomás Katari and Pedro Ignacio Muiba. El Fuerte de Samaipata | Black caiman and Toborochi (Ceiba speciosa) | Genoveva Ríos and electrotype 20 | |
| 50 bolivianos | Purple | José Manuel Baca "Cañoto", Bruno Racua, Pablo Zárate also known as Willka. Incallajta Fortress | Nevado Sajama, Andean flamingo and Quinoa | José Manuel Baca "Cañoto", guitar and electrotype 50 | |
| , | 100 bolivianos | Red | Juana Azurduy de Padilla, Alejo Calatayud, Antonio José de Sucre. National Mint of Bolivia | Arco Iris Waterfall, Heliconia rostrata, Hyacinth Macaw | |
| , | 200 bolivianos | Brown | Tupak Katari, Bartolina Sisa, Simón Bolivar. House of Freedom | Tiwanku, Cantua buxifolia, Andean Mountain Cat | |
| Current BOB exchange rates | |
|---|---|
| From Google Finance: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD RUB BRL ARS |
| From Yahoo! Finance: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD RUB BRL ARS |
| From XE.com: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD RUB BRL ARS |
| From OANDA: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD RUB BRL ARS |
| From fxtop.com: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD RUB BRL ARS |
Manufacture and production
As of 2013 the Boliviano is still manufactured abroad, in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and Chile, even though Bolivia has been politically independent since 1825.
Though Bolivia was one of the main mints of the colonial era (casa de la moneda, Potosí) the coining and printing of currency stopped due to lack of political interest and on the idea that foreign made coins and banknotes could be acquired at a lower price than the Bolivian-made coins and banknotes.
References
- Krause, Chester L.; 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.
- Pick, Albert (1990). Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: Specialized Issues. Colin R. Bruce II and Neil Shafer (editors) (6th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0-87341-149-8.
- Banco Central de Bolivia. "Galeria de monedas y billetes Archived 2011-03-05 at the Wayback Machine." Accessed 26 February 2011.
- Banco Central de Bolivia. Official website Accessed 26 February 2011.
- "Introduction of Bolivia's new banknote family". La Razon Bolivia. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - "Award to new family banknote of Bolivia". Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.