Coins of Israel. Israeli shekel exchange rate

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Israel is an interesting country that has been reborn after World War II. Palestine was liberated from British rule. The United Nations officially divided the territory into Arab and Israeli states. Today Israel is a country that has reached a high level in the fields of economy, social development, medicine.

National currency

Like any state, Israel has created its own monetary system. The new shekel is the national currency. And the change coins of Israel are called agoras (agorots). One shekel is equal to 100 agorot. The largest banknote in the country is 200 shekels. It is designated in the international format ILS.

What does the name of the Israeli banknote - "shekel" mean? This is a very ancient name for a measure of weight, which was used in biblical times during calculations with silver or gold. Even in the Bible there is a mention that Abraham, when buying a field, paid 400 shekels of silver for it. We can say that the Israeli shekel is a very ancient concept that has been preserved and is still used today. Today, both banknotes and coins of various denominations are in circulation. Banknotes in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 shekels. As well as money in the form of coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 shekels. A smaller bargaining chip is 10.50 agorot.

Guests in Israel

What is the currency situation in Israel today? As in the rest of the world: guests arriving in the country can carry any banknotes with them - there are no restrictions. You can exchange them for Israeli currency at any bank or specialized point. It is possible to do this already upon arrival: at the airport, at the hotel and even at the post office. The same is done before leaving the country: there are shekels left - you can exchange them for the desired currency before departure. It is believed that the most profitable rate offers a private exchange office. Large shopping centers of the country accept not only shekels for payment, but also another freely convertible currency - the US dollar. You can pay in dollars and get change in local coins. But small shops, markets, public transport accept only shekels. As in the entire world market, the exchange rate is also changing here: Israel has an international convertible national monetary system. It is desirable to make an exchange upon arrival in the country - it is much more profitable.

Taxes in the country

Not only cash, but also credit cards are accepted for payment in Israel. This is the most convenient way of cashless payment for almost everything - even for transport services. The ATM system in the country is very developed, their network covers all corners of Israel. And you can cash out at any time and everywhere. All purchases to be made in the country are subject to VAT17%. But it is possible to return part of the tax, keeping receipts for purchases, and present them at customs.

The modern currency of Israel, the new shekel, is freely convertible, it is considered international. In fact, it has been that way since 2003. What is the position of the shekel in relation to world currencies? Its relation to the dollar can be seen at the current exchange rate: for 1 US dollar, you need to pay 3,579 shekels. For 1 euro today they pay 4,702, and for 1 Canadian dollar - 3,296 shekels. Fluctuations are not very noticeable, and therefore the rate can be called stable. In relation to the ruble, it grew slightly, but not significantly: one shekel is equal to eight rubles.

Banknotes of the country

The Israeli shekel, which does not experience sharp jumps, can be called one of the reliable international currencies. The name of the country's money is unique and evokes associations only with Israel. Since 1985, this has been a new shekel, since the old one depreciated at that time, and a reform of money was carried out in the country. Before him, lira and pounds were used in Israel - this was a legacy of the colonial past associated with Britain.

In Israel there are no banknotes such as 500 and 1000. The largest running banknote is 200 shekels. And metallic money - 10, 5 and 1 shekel. The agorot, Israel's bargaining chip, is always popular and in great demand. In translation, "agoroth" is a penny, a trifle.

World Landmarks

In order to navigate the world, a course was chosen for the leading currencies. This is dollar, euro andBritish pounds. To date, the situation at the auction, political fluctuations in the world have an impact on the shekel. Its ratio to the dollar practically does not change and stays at about one-third mark.

Let's look at what a 20 shekel note looks like. First of all, it is worth noting its size - 7.1 X 13.8 cm. It depicts the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Moshe Sharett (1894-1965), who graduated from Istanbul University and was a native of Kherson. The portrait itself consists of the initials M. Sharett. In addition, the banknote depicts the Israeli flag-raising ceremony in 1949 in front of the UN building and the Israeli flag itself among the banners of the UN member states. On a free field as a background, a quote from Sharett's speech during the ceremony and the text he delivered on the radio in 1944 in Italy are written. The banknote also depicts volunteers joining the Jewish Brigade of the Allied Forces and Homa u-Migdal, the old watchtower of the Jewish settlement.

The largest banknote

200 new shekels is a banknote of the same size as the denomination of 20. Only the writer, public figure, third president of Israel, born in Belarus, Zalman Shazar (1889–1974) is depicted on it. It shows the interior of the classroom and a printed excerpt from President Shazar's speech to the Knesset when the School Law was enacted. Also depicted is a street, which is located in Safed - the spiritual center of the Kabbalists. As a background, an excerpt from Shazar's work of 1950 is printed. In addition, the bill has a list of titles of 15 books of the third presidentZalman Shazar.

Israeli coins

The first own coins in the country were issued in 1948. But gold came out for the first time in 1960. In 1980, a monetary reform began and was carried out for five years: until 1985, 10 old agorats were exchanged for one new one, and new shekels were introduced. They also minted other small change coins. On one of them you can see the handshake of the heads of three states. This is the first image on Israeli coins of the President of the United States. There are Sadat, Begin and Jimmy Carter. The coin was issued in 2010 and is dedicated to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Menachem Begin.

In 1977, Anwar Sadat visited Jerusalem and took the first step towards reconciliation. These events took place at Camp David. As a result of the efforts made, negotiations were held between Israel and Egypt. And then the peace treaty was signed in Washington, on the lawn of the White House. Already in 1978, Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. These are not the first coins of Israel in the series. The first were dedicated to Shmuel Yosef Agnon, who won the Literature Prize in 1966.

Commemorative coins

Israeli coins reflected this historic moment. The obverse is engraved with a profile - a bust of the Prime Minister and the inscription "Menachem Begin, Nobel Peace Prize". It is made in Hebrew and in English, and between them is the date - 1978. Many countries issue commemorative and common coins, whichdevoted to specific historical events. So in Israel, they were created for memorable days: in 1962, 100 Lirot, dedicated to Chaim Weizmann, were released, and already in 1996, 20 new shekels were released in honor of Yitzhak Rabin.

For each country, attributes such as the flag, coat of arms, anthem and national currency are important. They constitute the foundations and signs of statehood, independence. And all the inhabitants of the Earth are well aware of the history of the Jewish people, their difficulties in gaining freedom and recognizing the country. Therefore, it becomes clear his desire to preserve his historical values, which are expressed even in the name of banknotes and coins. Including dedication to their anniversaries, Nobel laureates.