Since 1991, the Peruvian currency is the “Nuevo Sol” (S/.), which was renamed to just “Sol” (S/) in 2016. It’s subdivided into 100 centimos (cents). Issued by the Peruvian Central Reserve Bank (BCRP) the current banknotes and coins of Peru are not only a reflection of the country's historical and cultural past and Peru’s abundance of natural wealth decorated with famous Peruvian personalities, amazing archaeological sites, natural resources and highlights of the vast flora and fauna typical of the country, but are also highly sophisticated and have top-notch security features.

So, scroll through the next pages which introduce you to Peru's lovely current banknotes and coins.

In Lima you find banks nearly at every corner. But finding a reliable bank is as difficult as in any other city around the world. Being here only on holidays, you might not need a bank at all. For changing money you should better use exchange offices anyway and for drawing cash use ATM's that are placed all over the city. If you are a customer of an international bank that is present in Peru you should preferably use their ATM's. That way you can most probably save the sometimes quite high fees for international withdrawals. Check with your bank at home what charges you have to expect before you leave!

Opening an account is easy when you are a Peruvian resident. As far as we could find out, most banks have tightened their policies in the last years and don't allow tourists to open an account anymore. But as usual here the exception proves the rule. If you can open an account, be aware that banks in Peru charge literally for everything and sometimes their service leaves a lot to be desired. So check with the different banks on what they offer, so you can determine which one meets your needs the best. Bank debit cards and online banking are standard. Compare rates and take care of hidden charges!

Listed below are only a few of the bigger national and international banks with some of their agencies. For more info please check their websites, but unfortunately most of them are only available in Spanish.

Local private banks introduced the first banknotes in Peru around 1864. These Peruvian banknotes (issued between 1864 and 1922) used currency names like Soles, Pesos, Incas and Libras. There was no unified monetary system for the country until 1926, when the Central Reserve Bank of Peru (Banco Central de Reserva del Peru) started issuing paper money.

Peru had since 1897 five main monetary systems. The first one was the Libra Peruana de Oro (Peruvian Gold Pound) that was in circulation as legal tender from 1897. In 1930 followed a new currency called the Sol de Oro (Golden Sun). Because of high inflation, the currency of the era of Republican Peru was abandoned in 1985 and the Inti introduced. The bad economic state of Peru and terrorism in the late 1980s, the Inti lost its value quickly. Hyperinflation struck the country, and the Peruvian government was forced to introduce a new currency in 1991: the Nuevo Sol (New Sun). They introduced the Nuevo Sol at a rate of 1 Nuevo Sol = 1,000,000 Intis. The return to this name was considered appropriate as it could be derived from historical use and divination of the sun as a symbol of power and as a way of connecting the new currency to the old Inti, which was named after Inti, the Sun God of the Incas. On the 15th of December 2015, they changed the name of the Peruvian currency to "Sol" (Sun).

Today you can still buy old Libras, Intis and Sol bills, especially in the small shops behind the main post office in Limas City Center. These bills aren't fake, but keep in mind that they are not legal tender. You can't exchange them or buy anything with them, even if you are told otherwise!