What is SDG currency
The pound (Arabic: جنيه سوداني “Jineh Sudani”; abbreviation: LS. or £Sd in Latin, ج.س in Arabic; ISO code: SDG) is the official currency of the Republic of the Sudan. The pound is divided into 100 piastres (or qirsh (قرش) in Arabic). It is issued by the Central Bank of Sudan.
The pound fell for the first time since 1997 after the United States imposed economic sanctions on Sudan. The Sudanese pound continued its decline to an unprecedented number, falling to LS.53 against the dollar. This situation, which drained all economic measures, led to heavy losses in the external repercussions of the Sudan as a whole, in the light of the government cut, interrupted by some of the failed actions announced by the Central Bank of Sudan, a severe shortage of liquidity.
The Sudanese pound fell against the US dollar after the Central Bank of Sudan announced the lifting of the cash reserve to counter inflation. Since the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Sudan has suffered from a scarcity of foreign exchange for the loss of three-quarters of its oil resources and 80% of foreign exchange resources. The Sudanese government quoted the official price of the dollar from LS.6.09 to LS.18.07 in the budget of 2018 and LS.375.11 in March 2021.
SDG Coins
In 1885, the Mahdi issued silver coins for 10 PT and 20 PT and gold 100 PT. These were followed by issues of the Khalifa in denominations of 10 para, 1 PT, 2 PT, 2½ PT, 4 PT, 5 PT, 10 PT and 20 PT. These coins were initially minted in silver in 1885. Over the following eleven years, severe debasement occurred, leading to billon, then silver-washed copper and finally copper coins being issued. The coinage ceased in 1897.
During 1908-1914, a local coinage was issued in Darfur in western Sudan. These were issued under the authority of Ali Dinar and resembled contemporary Egyptian coins.
In 1956, coins were introduced in denominations of 1mm, 2mms, 5mms and 10mms, 2 PT, 5 PT and 10 PT. The millim denominations were struck in bronze, whilst the piastre denominations were in cupro-nickel. The 2mms, 5mms and 10mms were scallop shaped, although a round 5mms was introduced in 1971. The 1mm and 2mms were last struck in 1969, the last 5 millim in 1978. In 1983, brass 1pt, 2pt and 5pt, a reduced size 10pt and a cupro-nickel 20pt were introduced. In 1987, aluminium-bronze 1 PT, 5 PT, 10 PT, 20 PT, 25 PT and 50 PT and LS.1 were introduced, with the 25 PT and 50 PT being square and octagonal in shape, respectively. In 1989, stainless-steel 25 PT and 50 PT and LS.1 were issued. This is the general pattern, in addition to these coins there are collector-oriented issues and various oddities. See popular coin catalogues for details.
Coins in denominations of 1 PT, 5 PT, 10 PT, 20 PT and 50 PT were introduced alongside the circulating dinar coins. The Central Bank of Sudan states that the 5pt coins are yellow coloured (perhaps aluminium-bronze) and the 10 PT is silver coloured (made of stainless steel). The 20 PT and 50 PT coins are bi-metallic, with the 20 PT yellow ringed with a silver coloured centre and the 50 PT the opposite.
SDG Banknotes
In April 1957, the Sudan Currency Board introduced notes for 25 PT, 50 PT, LS.1, LS.5 and LS.10. Note production was taken over by the Bank of Sudan in 1961. LS.20 notes were introduced in 1981, followed by denominations of LS.50 in 1984 and LS.100 in 1988.
When introduced on 10 January 2007, the second Sudanese pound replaced the Sudanese dinar at a rate of 1:100. This new currency was mandated by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement to end the country’s 21- year civil war. Deputy Governor Badr-Eddin Mahmoud said the cost to print the new currency was US$156 million. Banknotes of LS.1, LS.2, LS.5, LS.10, LS.20 and LS.50 were issued. The LS.1 note was replaced by a coin at the end of November 2011.
Banknotes of the third pound are similar in style to those of the second pound but with changes in colour scheme, the removal of certain symbols associated with the south and a redrawn map of the country after the secession of the south.