Argentine austral

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Argentine austral
austral argentino (Spanish)
ISO 4217
CodeARA
Unit
Unitaustral
Pluralaustrales
Symbol
Denominations
Subunit
1100centavo
Symbol
centavo¢
Banknotes₳1, ₳5, ₳10, ₳50, ₳100, ₳500, ₳1,000, ₳5,000, ₳10,000, ₳50,000, ₳100,000, ₳500,000
Coins12¢, 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 50¢, ₳1, ₳5, ₳10, ₳100, ₳500, ₳1,000
Demographics
ReplacedPeso argentino
Date of withdrawal31 December 1991
Replaced byArgentine peso
User(s) Argentina
Issuance
Central bankBanco Central de la República Argentina
 Websitewww.bcra.gov.ar
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.
USD / Argentina Currency Exchange Rates *From January 1970 to May 1983: Pesos Ley 18188 *From June 1983 to May 1985: Peso Argentino *From June 1985 to December 1991: Australes
Argentina inflation 1980-1993

The austral was the currency of Argentina between June 15, 1985, and December 31, 1991. It was divided into 100 centavos. The symbol was an uppercase A with an extra horizontal line, (₳). This symbol appeared on all coins issued in this currency (including centavos), to distinguish them from earlier currencies.

History[edit]

Finance Minister Juan Vital Sourrouille devised the Austral plan.[1] The austral replaced the peso argentino at a rate of ₳1 = $a1,000, making the austral worth US$1.25, or 80 centavos de austral per U.S. dollar.

In 1992, the austral was itself replaced by the convertible peso at a rate of $1 = ₳10,000.

Coins[edit]

In 1985, coins were introduced for 12, 1, 5, 10 and 50 centavos. The 12¢ was only issued in 1985, whilst production of the 1¢ ceased in 1987, 5¢ ceased in 1988, and that of the other centavo coins ended in 1989. In 1989, ₳1, ₳5 and ₳10 coins were issued, followed in 1990 and 1991 by ₳100, ₳500 and ₳1,000 denominations.

Centavo[edit]

Averse Obverse Value Obverse Entered circulation Withdrawn Composition Diameter
12¢ Hornero 23 Sep 1985 31 Dec 1991 Copper-Aluminium (92/8) 19 mm
Rhea 23 Sep 1985 31 Dec 1991 Copper-Aluminium (92/8) 20 mm
Puma 23 Sep 1985 31 Dec 1991 Copper-Aluminium (92/8) 23 mm
10¢ Coat of arms 14 Oct 1985 31 Dec 1991 Copper-Aluminium (92/8) 21 mm
50¢ Liberty 14 Oct 1985 31 Dec 1991 Copper-Aluminium (92/8) 23 mm

Austral[edit]

Averse Obverse Value Obverse Entered circulation Withdrawn Composition Diameter
₳1 Buenos Aires Cabildo 27 Mar 1989 31 Dec 1991 Aluminium 20 mm
₳5 House of Tucumán 22 May 1989 31 Dec 1991 Aluminium 22 mm
₳10 Casa del Acuerdo 26 Jun 1989 31 Dec 1991 Aluminium 22 mm
₳100 Coat of arms 28 Nov 1990 31 Oct 1993 Aluminium 21 mm
₳500 Coat of arms 1 Nov 1990 31 Oct 1993 Aluminium 23 mm
₳1,000 Coat of arms 28 Nov 1990 31 Oct 1993 Aluminium 24 mm

Banknotes[edit]

In 1985, provisional issues were made consisting of $a1000, $a5000 and $a10,000 notes overstamped with the values ₳1, ₳5 and ₳10.

Value Comments Portrait Entered circulation Withdrawn Image
₳1 Provisional José de San Martín 31 Oct 1985 30 Nov 1987
₳5 Provisional Juan Bautista Alberdi 31 Oct 1985 30 Nov 1987
₳10 Provisional Manuel Belgrano 31 Oct 1985 30 Nov 1987

Between 1985 and 1991, the following notes were issued by the Banco Central:

Value Comments Portrait Entered circulation Withdrawn Image
₳1 Definitive Bernardino Rivadavia 31 Oct 1985 31 Oct 1991
₳5 Definitive Justo José de Urquiza 28 Feb 1986 31 Oct 1991
₳10 Definitive Santiago Derqui 30 Dec 1985 31 Oct 1991
₳50 Definitive Bartolomé Mitre 23 Jun 1986 31 Dec 1991
₳100 Definitive Domingo F. Sarmiento 25 Nov 1985 1 Jun 1992
₳500 Definitive Nicolás Avellaneda 2 May 1988 1 Jun 1992
₳1,000 Definitive Julio A. Roca 30 Sep 1988 1 Jun 1992
₳5,000 Definitive Juárez Celman 26 May 1989 1 Oct 1992
₳10,000 Provisional José de San Martín 31 Jul 1989 31 Aug 1991
₳10,000 Definitive Carlos Pellegrini 25 Aug 1989 1 Oct 1992
₳50,000 Provisional José de San Martín 2 Jun 1989 31 Aug 1991
₳50,000 Definitive Luis Sáenz Peña 8 Nov 1989 2 Jan 1993
₳100,000 Definitive José E. Uriburu 21 May 1990 2 Jan 1993
₳500,000 Provisional José de San Martín 2 Jul 1990 31 Oct 1991
₳500,000 Definitive Manuel Quintana 1 Nov 1990 2 Jan 1993

All banknotes except the provisional types show on the back an image of Liberty with a torch and shield. The provisional banknotes were produced from modified peso ley plates. On the obverses, the word PESOS were erased, whilst the reverse designs substituted the picture with the denomination written in words without spaces in several rows. The denomination was shown on both faces in the form ₳10 MIL (₳10,000), ₳50 MIL (₳50,000) and ₳500 MIL (₳500,000).

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  • 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.
  • Silveyra, Jorge; Lozano, Sergio; Díaz, Oscar (2001). Falsificación de moneda. Editorial Policial. ISBN 950-9071-66-8.

External links[edit]