Afghanistan Currency Name and Economy Explained

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Person Putting Rolled Banknotes in Glass Jar
Credit: pexels.com, Person Putting Rolled Banknotes in Glass Jar

The Afghan currency is called the Afghani, and it's been the official currency of Afghanistan since 1927. It's divided into 100 pul, which is the subunit of the Afghani.

The Afghani is issued by the central bank of Afghanistan, known as Da Afghanistan Bank, or DAB. DAB is responsible for managing the country's monetary policy and regulating the financial system.

The Afghani is a fiat currency, meaning its value is not backed by any physical commodity. This means its value is determined by supply and demand in the foreign exchange market.

In 2002, the Afghan government introduced a new currency, the Afghani, to replace the old currency, which was in circulation since 1927. This change was part of a broader effort to rebuild the country's economy after decades of war.

Afghanistan's Currency History

Afghanistan's Currency History is a fascinating topic. The Afghan rupee was the first official currency of Afghanistan, introduced in 1297.

Credit: youtube.com, History of Afghanistan Banknotes (Mohammed Zahir Shah) 1939-1946 HD

In 1305, the Afghan rupee was replaced by the Afghan shahi, which was divided into 100 shahi paisa. This currency was used for nearly 700 years.

The Afghan rupee was reintroduced in 1925, replacing the Afghan shahi. It was pegged to the Indian rupee at a rate of 3.30 Afghan rupees to 1 Indian rupee.

The Afghan currency has undergone significant changes over the years, with the introduction of new denominations and the discontinuation of others. The Afghan government has also introduced new security features to prevent counterfeiting.

In 2002, the Afghan government introduced the Afghani, which replaced the Afghan rupee at a rate of 1,000 Afghan rupees to 1 Afghani.

Currency Types

Afghanistan has introduced various types of coins over the years. In 1925, brass and bronze coins were introduced in denominations of 2, 5, and 10 pul, along with billon, silver, and gold coins.

The country also minted coins made of different materials, such as aluminum, nickel-clad-steel, and cupronickel-clad-steel. For example, the 25 pul coin was changed to aluminum in 1952 and then to brass-clad-steel in 1973.

Commemorative coins were also minted in Afghanistan from 1925 to 2003, in addition to the regular coins.

Coinage

Credit: youtube.com, The 20 Types Of Errors On Coins – Complete Overview of Physical Error Coinage

The Afghani currency has a rich history, and its coinage is no exception. In 1925, brass and bronze coins were introduced in denominations of 2, 5, and 10 pul, as well as silver and gold coins.

Some of the earliest coins were made of billon, a type of metal alloy. The 20 pul billon coin was one of the first coins introduced in 1925, along with other coins made of brass, bronze, silver, and gold.

The Afghani currency has undergone several changes over the years. In 1952, the composition of the coins was altered, with the 25 pul coin being changed to aluminum and the 50 pul coin to nickel-clad-steel.

Here are some key facts about the Afghani coins:

In 1961, the Af. 1 coin was minted with a year of SH 1340, while the Afs. 5 coin showed the year AH 1381.

Second Afghan

The second afghani was introduced in 2002 as part of efforts to stabilize the economy and reduce inflation. It replaced the previous afghani at two distinct rates: issues of the government of former President Rabbani were replaced at a rate of 1,000 to the new afghani, while the issues of Dostum were replaced at a rate of 2,000 to the new afghani.

Credit: youtube.com, Afghan Currency - Afghani

The new currency was valued at Afs. 43 to one US dollar. This was a significant improvement over the previous afghani, which had been subject to rapid inflation and a lack of stability.

The second afghani was printed in Germany and was announced by President Karzai on 4 September 2002. It was introduced to the market on October 8, 2002, and was well-received by the public as a sign of security and stability.

Most old banknotes were destroyed by the end of 2002. This helped to reduce the amount of currency in circulation and made it easier to manage the economy.

The second afghani was managed by Da Afghanistan Bank, which adopted a floating exchange rate regime. This allowed the exchange rate to be determined freely by market forces.

Here are the denominations of the second afghani banknotes:

  • 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 AFN

Currency Information

The Afghan Afghani, or AFN, has a rich history dating back to 1925 when the first afghani was introduced. It replaced the Afghan rupee and was divided into 100 pul.

Credit: youtube.com, Afghanistan’s money | Currency Explained Ep. 1 | Fayrama

The afghani originally contained 9 grams of silver and was quoted at 1 afghani = 1.1 rupees. This exchange rate was based on the silver content of the last rupee coins and the first afghani coins.

In 1936, treasury notes were introduced in denominations of 2, 20, and 100 afghani. Da Afghanistan Bank took over banknote production in 1939, issuing notes denominated in 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 afghani.

The 2 and 5 afghani notes were replaced by coins in 1958. In 1993, 5000 and 10,000 afghani notes were introduced.

Here's a list of some of the notable banknote denominations and their characteristics:

  • Af. 1 (2002 series): 131 × 55 mm, pink, Seal of Da Afghanistan Bank with Eucratides I-era coin, Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif
  • Afs. 2 (2002 series): 135 × 55 mm, blue, Taq-e Zafar
  • Afs. 5 (2002 series): 139 × 55 mm, brown, Bala Hissar fortress
  • Afs. 10 (2002 series): 136 × 56 mm, yellow green, Ahmad Shah Durrani mausoleum, Kandahar, Taq-e Zafar and Lion Gate
  • Afs. 20 (2002 series): 140 × 58 mm, brown, Mahmud of Ghazni's Tomb, Arg King's Palace
  • Afs. 50 (2002 series): 144 × 60 mm, dark green, Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque, Salang Pass
  • Afs. 100 (2002 series): 148 × 62 mm, violet, Pul-e Khishti Mosque, Qala-e-Bost
  • Afs. 500 (2002 series): 152 × 64 mm, blue, Great Mosque of Herat, Kandahar International Airport tower
  • Afs. 1,000 (2002 series): 156 × 66 mm, orange, Shrine of Ali, Mazar-i-Sharif, Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani

Angelo Douglas

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Angelo Douglas is a seasoned writer with a passion for creating informative and engaging content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for simplifying complex topics, Angelo has established himself as a trusted voice in the world of finance. Angelo's writing portfolio spans a range of topics, including mutual funds and mutual fund costs and fees.

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