Грузинский лари: история и современность

Currency of Georgia

The lari (; ISO 4217: GEL) is the currency of Georgia. It is divided into 100 tetri (თეთრი). The name lari is an old Georgian word denoting a hoard, property, while tetri is an old Georgian monetary term (meaning 'white') used in ancient Colchis from the 6th century BC. Earlier Georgian currencies include the maneti , abazi (აბაზი), and kuponi (კუპონი).

Georgia replaced the Soviet ruble on 5 April 1993, with the kuponi at par. This currency consisted only of banknotes, had no subdivisions and suffered from hyperinflation. Notes were issued in denominations between 1 and 1 million kuponi, including the somewhat unusual 3, 3,000, 30,000 and 150,000 kuponi.

On 2 October 1995, the government of Eduard Shevardnadze replaced the provisional coupon currency with the Lari, at a rate of one million to one. It has remained fairly stable since then.

The NBG announced the Lari sign competition in December 2013. The temporary commission consisted of representatives of NBG, the Budget and Finance Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, the State Council of Heraldry, the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia and the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. On 8 July 2014, Giorgi Kadagidze, Governor of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), unveiled the winning proposal for the sign of the national currency to the public. The author of the winning sign was professional artist ceramist, Malkhaz Shvelidze. On 17 June 2015, the Unicode Consortium released Unicode V8.0, which includes the Lari sign as

Coins are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 tetri, as well as 1 and 2 lari. The National Bank of Georgia announced on 5 October 2018 that it would discontinue circulation of 1 and 2 Tetri coins as of 1 January 2021, and that these coins would lose their legal tender status. 1 and 2 Tetri coins could be exchanged at the National Bank of Georgia and commercial banks in Georgia within one year from 1 January 2021, and can only be exchanged at the National Bank of Georgia from 1 January 2022. According to the new regulations on cash payments introduced by the National Bank of Georgia on 1 January 2019, 1 and 2 tetri are rounded to 0, and 3, 4, 6 and 7 tetri are rounded to 5. The National Bank of Georgia announced on 12 November 2015 that, effective 1 January 2018, the old 50 Tetri coin, issued since 1995, would be withdrawn from circulation and the coins would lose their legal tender status. The old 50 Tetri coin were exchangeable at the National Bank of Georgia and commercial banks of Georgia within one year from 1 January 2018, and from 1 January 2019 only at the National Bank of Georgia. Second Series (2006) Image Value Technical parameters Description Obverse Reverse Diameter Mass Composition Edge Obverse Reverse 50 Tetri 24 mm 6.52 g Stainless Steel Smooth The denomination numeral “50”, and the legend თეთრი (tetri). The coat of arms of Georgia, surrounded with a symbolic image of Sun beams, the legends საქართველო, and the date of issue “2006” under the coat of arms. 1 Lari 26.2 mm 7.85 g Copper nickel Reeded with incuse lettering: the country name in Georgian and English (საქართველო and "Georgia") Half milled. Denomination numeral “1” and legend ლარი (lari). Half milled. The coat of arms of Georgia, the legend საქართველო on the upper left side, and the date of issue “2006” on the lower right side. 2 Lari 27 mm 8 g Bi Metallic Copper aluminium nickel center in Copper nickel ring Reeded with incuse lettering: the country name in Georgian and English (საქართველო and "Georgia") Denomination numeral “2” and legend ლარი (lari). The silver color milled surface has an original design, representing a central symbolic image of sun rays. The coat of arms of Georgia, the rim with a circular legend საქართველო, and the date of issue “2006”. First series (1993) Image Value Technical parameters Description Obverse Reverse Diameter Mass Composition Edge Obverse Reverse 1 Tetri 15 mm 1.38 g Stainless Steel Smooth The denomination numeral "1" on the upper part of the coin, with the legend თეთრი (tetri) and the vine tendril underneath. The Borjgali (a Georgian symbol of the Sun with seven rotating rays) over the Christian Tree of Life, and the date of mintage, “1993”, with Georgian and English marginal legends on it, საქართველოს რესპუბლიკა and "Republic of Georgia". 2 Tetri 17.5 mm 1.9 g Stainless Steel Smooth Peacock with spread wings on the upper part of the coin, with the legend თეთრი (tetri) and denomination numeral “2” underneath. 5 Tetri 20 mm 2.5 g Stainless Steel Smooth Golden statue of a lion from the 3rd millennium BC barrow of the Alazani valley, with the denomination numeral “5”, and the legend თეთრი (tetri) underneath. 10 Tetri 21.9 mm 3 g Stainless Steel Smooth Saint Mammes riding the lion, 11th century silver plate gilded with gold from the Gelati Monastery. The denomination numeral “10” on the right hand of the coin, and the legend თეთრი (tetri) underneath 20 Tetri 25 mm 5 g Stainless Steel Smooth The stag from a painting by the Georgian painter Niko Pirosmanashvili (Pirosmani), with the denomination numeral “20” on the left hand side, and the legend თეთრი (tetri) underneath. 50 Tetri 19 mm 2.45 g Brass Smooth The relief of a Griffin from the eastern façade of 11th century Samtavisi Cathedral, with the denomination numeral “50”, and legend თეთრი (tetri) underneath.