The dram (symbol: ֏; code: AMD) is the monetary unit of Armenia and the neighboring Republic of Artsakh. It was historically subdivided into 100 luma. The word “dram” translates into English as “money” and is cognate with the Greek drachma and the Arabic dirham, as well as the English weight unit dram. The first instance of a AMD currency was in the period from 1199 to 1375, when silver coins called dram were issued.
After its proclamation of independence, Armenia put into circulation its own national currency, the Armenian Dram; this required a monetary symbol. As the result of common business practice and the unique pattern of Armenian letters, the shape of the symbol and its variations appeared in the business scratches (daybooks). Until the official endorsement of the symbol a number of artists and businessmen developed and offered various shapes for it. Now the dram symbol is included in the Armenian standard for the national characters and symbols and in the Armenian computer fonts. The current standard symbol for the Armenian dram (֏, image: ֏; Armenian: Դրամ; code: AMD) was desymboled in 1995.
AMD Coins
In 1994, a first series of aluminium coins was introduced in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 luma, 1, 3, 5 and 10 dram. In 2003 and 2004, a second series consisting of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 dram coins was introduced to replace the first series.
In 2003 and 2004, a new series of coins was introduced in denominations of 10-, 20-, 50-, 100-, 200 and 500 dram.
AMD Banknotes
A first series of banknotes was issued in November 1993. It was withdrawn from circulation by 2005. A second series was issued from 1998 onwards which is still in use at present.
First series (1993-1998)
On 22 November 1993, banknotes of 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 dram were issued.[23] Notes for 1,000 and 5,000 dram were put into circulation later.
Second series (1998-2017)
Banknotes of 50, 100, and 500 dram are rarely seen in circulation. The 50, 100, and 500 dram coins are used instead.
A commemorative 50,000 dram note was issued on 4 June 2001 in commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Armenia.
Third series (2017-present)
A third series of Armenian dram banknotes were issued in 2017, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s national currency.[25] All denominations for this series are the same as its previous issues, with the 2,000 dram banknote as a newly introduced denomination, the 50,000 dram banknote re-issued for this series and the omission of the 50, 100, and 100,000 dram banknotes for this issue. The new series are printed on hybrid substrates of Louisenthal.
The first three denominations, 10,000 ֏, 20,000 ֏ and 50,000 ֏, were issued on November 22, 2018. The final three denominations, 1,000 ֏, 2,000 ֏ and 5,000 ֏ were issued on December 25, 2018.
A 500 dram commemorative note was issued on 22 November 2017 to commemorate the story of Noah’s Ark.