For the Peruvian currency used from 1863 to 1985, see Peruvian sol (1863–1985).
The sol (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsol]; plural: soles; currency sign: S/) is the currency of Peru; it is subdivided into 100 céntimos (“cents”). The ISO 4217 currency code is PEN.
The sol replaced the Peruvian inti in 1991 and the name is a return to that of Peru’s historic currency, as the previous incarnation of sol was in use from 1863 to 1985. Although sol in this usage is derived from the Latin solidus (English: solid), the word also means “sun” in Spanish. There is thus a continuity with the old Peruvian inti, which was named after Inti, the Sun God of the Incas.
At its introduction in 1991, the currency was officially called nuevo sol (“new sol”), but on November 13, 2015, the Peruvian Congress voted to rename the currency simply sol.
PEN Coins
The current coins were introduced in 1991 in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 céntimos and S/1. The S/2 and S/5 coins were added in 1994. Although one- and five-céntimo coins are officially in circulation, they are very rarely used. For this reason the aluminium one-céntimo coin, introduced in December 2005,[10] was removed from circulation on May 1, 2011. Also, five-céntimos coin was removed from circulation on January 1, 2019.
For cash transactions, retailers must round down to the nearest ten céntimos or up to the nearest five. Electronic transactions will still be processed in the exact amount. An aluminium five-céntimo coin was introduced in 2007. All coins show the coat of arms of Peru surrounded by the text Banco Central de Reserva del Perú (“Central Reserve Bank of Peru”) on the obverse; the reverse of each coin shows its denomination. Included in the designs of the bimetallic S/2 and S/5 coins are the hummingbird and condor figures from the Nazca Lines.
PEN Banknotes
Banknotes for S/10, S/20, S/50, and S/100 were introduced in 1990. The banknote for S/200 was introduced in August 1995. All notes are of the same size (140 x 65 mm) and contain the portrait of a well-known historic Peruvian on the obverse.
A new series of banknotes was issued starting in 2021, beginning with the S/10 and S/100 notes in July 2021 and followed by the S/20 and S/50 notes in July 2022. A S/200 note is expected to follow at a later date.