The lari (Georgian: ლარი, pronounced[ɫaɾi]; 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 (Georgian: მანეთი), abazi (აბაზი), and kuponi (კუპონი).
Georgia replaced the Soviet ruble on 5 April 1993, with the kuponi (Georgian: კუპონი) 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.
Highest denominations of each series of the Georgian kuponi
10 000 kuponi, 1993 (1st issue)
100 kuponi, 1993 (2nd issue)
100 000 kuponi, 1993 (3rd issue)
20 000 kuponi, 1994 (4th issue)
1 000 000 kuponi, 1994
Lari
On 2 October 1995,[2] 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 Georgian Lari currency sign, introduced on 8 July 2014.
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.[3]
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.[4] The author of the winning sign was professional artist-ceramist, Malkhaz Shvelidze.[3]
In choosing the winning sign, the commission gave priority to the samples based on the Georgian Mkhedruli character and made a point of the following criteria: conception, design, accordance with Georgian alphabet, existence of elements marking the currency, ease of construction, and observance of requests and recommendations determined by competition rules.[3]
The Lari sign is based on an arched letter ლ (Lasi) of the Georgian script. It is common international practice for a currency sign to consist of a letter, crossed by one or two parallel lines. Two parallel lines crossing the letter Lasi are the basic components of the Lari sign. The so-called “leg” of the letter, represented by a horizontal line, is a necessary attribute of the sign, adding monumental stability to the upper dynamic arc. The form of the letter is transformed in order to simplify its perception and implementation as a Lari sign.[3]
On 18 July 2014, Giorgi Melashvili, executive director of the National Bank of Georgia, sent a request letter to the Unicode Consortium to register the symbol in the Currency Symbols block of the Unicode Standard 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.[8][9] 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[clarification needed].[10]
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.[11][12][13]
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.
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”.
The denomination numeral "1" on the upper part of the coin, with the legend თეთრი (tetri) and the vinetendril 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".
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.
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
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.
The relief of a Griffin from the eastern façade of 11th century Samtavisi Cathedral, with the denomination numeral “50”, and legend თეთრი (tetri) underneath.
Banknotes
2016–2019 (current) series
Between November 2016 and October 2019 the National Bank of Georgia released five banknotes (in denominations of ₾5, ₾10, ₾20, ₾50, and ₾100), composing a new complete set.[14]
The 2016–2019 series lari notes are produced by Polish Security Printing Works [pl] (Polish: Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych).[15]
Details from Niko Pirosmani paintings Threshing and Fisherman in a Red Shirt, and the coat of arms of Georgia
2017
1 September 2017
₾10 (Ati lari)
127 × 64 mm
Blue
Portrait of Georgian author Akaki Tsereteli with the legend აკაკი წერეთელი 1840–1915, an excerpt from Tsereteli's poem Spring
Detail from Georgian artist David Kakabadze's painting Imereti - My Mother, and the coat of arms of Georgia
2019
1 October 2019
₾20 (Otsi lari)
132 × 66 mm
Red
Portrait of Ilia Chavchavadze, with the legend ილია ჭავჭავაძე 1837–1907, the magazines Sakartvelos Moambe and Iveria, founded by him, and his personal belongings
Portrait of Georgian Queen Tamar with the legend თამარ მეფე XII ს., 12th–13th century Vardzia cave monastery complex and a bas-relief from the 13th century Pitareti Virgin Mary Monastery
Miniature of a Sagittarius, a 12th century manuscript, and the coat of arms of Georgia
2016
1 February 2016
₾100 (Asi lari)
142 × 70 mm
Violet
Portrait of the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli with the legend შოთა რუსთაველი XII ს., an illustration from the epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, a page from its original prints and an ornament from its original manuscript and a 7th century bas-relief of Daniel in the lions' den from the Martvili Cathedral of Assumption of the Virgin Mary
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixel per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.
Earlier issues
The National Bank of Georgia announced that banknotes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lari issued between 1995 and 1999 will no longer be legal tender on 1 January 2022. These currencies can only be exchanged at the National Bank of Georgia from 1 January 2022.[16][17]
Portrait of Georgian composer Zacharia Paliashvili and legend "Zacharia Paliashvili 1871–1933". The left side features the overture notes of his opera Abesalom da Eteri
Building of the Tbilisi Zacharia Paliashvili Opera and Ballet State Theatre with the legend "Tbilisi National Opera and Ballet Theatre 1887".
2002
5 August 2002
coins minted since 2006
₾5 (Khuti lari)
115 × 61 mm
Brown
Portarait of Georgian academic Ivane Javakhishvili, with the legend "Ivane Javakhishvili 1876–1940"
Portrait of Georgian poet and public figure Akaki Tsereteli, with the legend "Akaki Tsereteli 1840–1915", a swallow and blossoming branch
Detail from Georgian artist David Kakabadze's painting Imereti - My Mother and vine tendril
2002
5 August 2002
₾20 (Otsi lari)
131 × 65 mm
Navy yellow
Portrait of Georgian public figure Ilia Chavchavadze with the legend "Ilia Chavchavadze 1837–1907" the magazines Sakartvelos Moambe and Iveria, founded by him and his personal belongings
Portrait of 12th Century Georgian Queen Tamar, image of a griffin on the left hand side of the banknote
"Sagittarius astrological sign" from a Georgian miniature manuscript of the 12th century
2004
9 November 2004
₾100 (Asi lari)
140 × 67 mm
Light green
Shota Rustaveli graphic portrait and the legend "Shota Rustaveli XII c". The composition of angels raising the cross is depicted on the left side of the banknote
A composition from the Biblical story "Daniel in the den of lions" from the Martvili monastery relief, and the legend "Martvili VIIc."
2004
9 November 2004
₾200 (Orasi lari)
146 × 72 mm
Yellow
Portrait of Kakutsa Cholokashvili. The background of the banknote is enhanced with fragments of relief images of Georgian Cultural Artifacts.
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