Ugandan shilling

The shilling (sign: USh; code: UGX;) is the currency of Uganda. Officially divided into cents until 2013, the shilling now has no subdivision.[1]

Ugandan shilling
Shilingi ya Uganda (in Swahili)
The old 1,000-shilling note depicted a farmer on one side and grain storage on the reverse.
ISO 4217
CodeUGX
Denominations
Subunit
 1/100cent (former)
SymbolUSh
Banknotes1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 shillings
Coins
 Freq. used1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 shillings
Demographics
User(s) Uganda
Issuance
Central bankBank of Uganda
 Websitewww.bou.or.ug
Valuation
Inflation4.7%
 SourceThe World Factbook, 2014 est.

History

The first Ugandan shilling (UGS) replaced the East African shilling in 1966 at par. Following high inflation, a new shilling (UGX) was introduced in 1987 worth 100 old shillings.

The shilling is usually a stable currency and predominates in most financial transactions in Uganda, which has a very efficient foreign exchange market with low spreads. The United States dollar is also widely accepted. The pound sterling and increasingly the euro are also used.

The Bank of Uganda cut its policy rate to 22% on 1 February 2012 after reduction of inflation for 3 consecutive months.[2]

Coins

First shilling

In 1966, coins were introduced in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 shillings. The 5-, 10- and 20-cent coins were struck in bronze, with the higher denominations struck in cupro-nickel. The 2-shilling was only issued that year. In 1972, cupro-nickel 5-shilling coins were issued but were withdrawn from circulation are now very rare. In 1976, copper-plated steel replaced bronze in the 5- and 10-cent and cupro-nickel-plated steel replaced cupro-nickel in the 50-cent and 1-shilling. In 1986, nickel-plated-steel 50-cent and 1-shilling coins were issued, the last coins of the first shilling.

First Ugandan shilling coins
ImageValueCompositionDiameterWeightThicknessEdgeIssued
5 cents bronze 20 mm 3.21 g 1.38 mm Smooth 1966-1975
5 cents bronze-plated steel 20 mm 3.21 g 1.2 mm Smooth 1976
10 cents bronze 25 mm 5 g 1.5 mm Smooth 1966-1975
10 cents bronze-plated steel 25 mm 4.5 g 1.5 mm Smooth 1976
20 cents bronze 28 mm 9.76 g 2.07 mm Smooth 1966-1974
50 cents copper-nickel 22 mm 4.60 g 1.5 mm Reeded 1966-1974
50 cents copper-nickel-plated steel 22 mm 4 g 1.5 mm Reeded 1976
1 shilling copper-nickel 25.5 mm 6.50 g 1.5 mm Reeded 1966-1975
1 shilling copper-nickel-plated steel 25.5 mm 6.50 g 1.5 mm Reeded 1976
2 shillings copper-nickel 30 mm 11.7 g 1.5 mm Reeded 1976
5 shillings copper-nickel 30 mm (heptagonal) 13.5 g 2 mm Smooth 1976

Second shilling

In 1987, copper-plated-steel 1- and 2-shilling and stainless-steel five- and ten- shilling coins were introduced, with the five- and ten-shilling curved-equilateral heptagonal in shape. In 1998, coins for 50, 100, 200 and 500 shillings were introduced. Denominations currently circulating are 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 shillings.[3]

Second Ugandan shilling coins
ImageValueCompositionDiameterWeightThicknessEdgeIssued
1 shilling copper-plated steel 19.5 mm (12-sided) 4.30 g 2.05 mm Smooth 1987
2 shillings copper-plated steel 24 mm (12-sided) 8 g 2.45 mm Smooth 1987
5 shillings stainless steel 22 mm (7-sided) 3.5 g 1.2 mm Smooth 1987
10 shillings stainless steel 26 mm (7-sided) 5.7 g 1.3 mm Smooth 1987
50 shillings Nickel-plated Steel 21 mm 3.9 g 1.8 mm Smooth 1998-2015
100 shillings Copper-nickel 27 mm 7 g 1.73 mm Reeded 1998-2008
100 shillings Nickel-plated Steel 27 mm 6.6 g 1.73 mm Reeded 2007-2015
200 shillings Copper-nickel 25 mm 8.5 g 2.05 mm Reeded 1998-2003
200 shillings Nickel-plated Steel 25 mm 7.25 g 2.05 mm Reeded 2007-2015
500 shillings Aluminum-brass 23.5 mm 9 g 2.9 mm Reeded 1998-2015
1000 shillings Bi-Metallic nickel-brass plated nickel center in nickel-brass ring 27 mm 10.25 g 3 mm Reeded 2012

Banknotes

First shilling

In 1966, the Bank of Uganda introduced notes in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 100 shillings. In 1973, fifty-shilling notes were introduced, followed by 500 and 1,000 shillings in 1983 and 5,000 shillings in 1985.

Second shilling

In 1987, notes were introduced in the new currency in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 shillings. In 1991, five-hundred- and one-thousand-shilling notes were added, followed by five thousand shillings in 1993, ten thousand shillings in 1995, twenty thousand shillings in 1999, fifty thousand shillings in 2003 and two thousand shillings in 2010. Banknotes currently in circulation are 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 shillings. In 2005, the Bank of Uganda was considering whether to replace the low-value notes such as the 1,000-shilling with coins. The lower denomination notes take a battering in daily use, often being very dirty and sometimes disintegrating.[4]

On 17 May 2010, the Bank of Uganda issued a new family of notes featuring a harmonised banknote design that depict Uganda's rich historical, natural, and cultural heritage. They also bear improved security features. Five images appear on all the six denominations: Ugandan mat patterns, Ugandan basketry, the map of Uganda (complete with the equator line), the Independence Monument, and a profile of a man wearing Karimojong headdress. Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile said the new notes did not constitute a currency reform, nor were they dictated by politics. The redesign, he said, was driven by the need to comply with international practices and to beat counterfeiters. Uganda is the first African country to introduce the advanced security feature SPARK[5] on a regular banknote series. SPARK is an optical security feature recognised by central banks worldwide and is used on a number of banknotes for protection against counterfeiting.

Current notes
  • 50,000 shillings yellow [6]
  • 20,000 shillings red
  • 10,000 shillings purple
  • 5,000 shillings green
  • 2,000 shillings blue
  • 1,000 shillings orange

Exchange rates
Current UGX exchange rates
From Google Finance: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From Yahoo! Finance: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From XE.com: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From OANDA: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From fxtop.com: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD

As of 22 August 2011, one US dollar (USD) was worth 2,800 Ugandan shillings. The exchange rate dropped to USD 1 = UGX 2,901 in September 2011, and it bounced back to USD 1 = UGX 2,303 on 13 February 2012.[7]

As of 11 June 2020, 1 US dollar was valued at 3723 Ugandan shillings[8]


See also

References
  1. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/forex/u/ugx-uganda-shilling.asp
  2. "Uganda shilling little changed but seen weakening". Reuters. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
  3. "Currency – Bank of Uganda". www.bou.or.ug. Bank of Uganda.
  4. "Choose sh1000 coins". newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  5. "SPARK trademark registration".
  6. "Uganda's 50,000 Shilling note". www.theibns.org. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  7. "Exchange Rates". www.bou.or.ug. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  8. "Convert Ugandan Shilling to Dollars | UGX to USD Currency Converter". www.currency.me.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
First Ugandan shilling
Preceded by:
East African shilling
Reason: currency independence
Ratio: at par
Note: independent shilling introduced in 1966, but EA shilling not demonetized until 1969		 Currency of Uganda
1966 – 1987		 Succeeded by:
Second Ugandan shilling
Reason: inflation
Ratio: 1 new shilling = 100 old shillings
Second Ugandan shilling
Preceded by:
First Ugandan shilling
Reason: inflation
Ratio: 1 new shilling = 100 old shillings		 Currency of Uganda
1987 –		 Succeeded by:
Current
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