Georgian lari facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Georgian lari
ISO 4217 Code	GEL
User(s)	Georgia
Inflation	0.0% (February 2024)
Source	National Bank of Georgia
Subunit
1⁄100	tetri
Symbol	₾, ლ,
Plural	The language(s) of this currency does not have a morphological plural distinction.
Coins	5, 10, 20, 50 tetri, ₾1, ₾2
Banknotes
Freq. used	₾5, ₾10, ₾20, ₾50, ₾100
Rarely used	₾1, ₾2, ₾200
Printer	Polish Security Printing Works [pl]

The lari (Georgian: ლარი; ISO 4217: GEL) is the official money of Georgia. It is split into 100 smaller units called tetri (თეთრი). The word lari is an old Georgian word meaning "property" or "treasure." The word tetri means "white" and was used for money in ancient Colchis as far back as the 6th century BC.

Kuponi: Georgia's First Currency

Before the Lari, Georgia used a temporary currency called the kuponi (Georgian: კუპონი). This happened on April 5, 1993, when Georgia replaced the Soviet ruble.

The kuponi only came in paper money (banknotes) and had no smaller parts like coins. It also suffered from hyperinflation, which means prices rose very, very quickly. Because of this, banknotes were printed in huge amounts, from 1 to 1 million kuponi. Some unusual values included 3,000, 30,000, and 150,000 kuponi notes.

• Some of the largest kuponi banknotes
• 

  10 000 kuponi, 1993 (first series)

• 

  100 kuponi, 1993 (second series)

• 

  100 000 kuponi, 1993 (third series)

• 

  20 000 kuponi, 1994 (fourth series)

• 

  1 000 000 kuponi, 1994

The Lari: Georgia's Stable Money

On October 2, 1995, the Georgian government, led by Eduard Shevardnadze, introduced the Lari. It replaced the kuponi at a rate of one million kuponi for just one Lari. Since then, the Lari has been quite stable.

The Lari Sign

The Georgian Lari currency sign, introduced on July 8, 2014.

In December 2013, the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) held a competition to design a special symbol for the Lari. A group of experts from different government and cultural organizations chose the winning design.

On July 8, 2014, Giorgi Kadagidze, who was the Governor of the NBG, showed the winning symbol to the public. The artist who created it was Malkhaz Shvelidze, a professional artist-ceramist.

The experts chose the symbol based on several things. They looked for designs that used the Georgian Mkhedruli writing style. They also wanted a symbol that was easy to understand and looked like a currency sign.

The Lari symbol looks like the Georgian letter ლ (Lasi). It's common for currency symbols to be a letter with one or two lines crossing it. The Lari sign has two parallel lines crossing the Lasi letter. These lines give the symbol a strong and stable look.

Later, on July 18, 2014, the National Bank of Georgia asked the Unicode Consortium to add the Lari symbol to the worldwide standard for computer characters. On June 17, 2015, the Lari sign was officially added to Unicode as:

₾ U+20BE GEORGIAN LARI SIGN

Lari Coins

Georgia uses coins in values of 5, 10, 20, and 50 tetri, as well as 1 and 2 lari.

The National Bank of Georgia announced that 1 and 2 Tetri coins would no longer be used after January 1, 2021. You could exchange these coins at the National Bank or other banks for a year. After January 1, 2022, you can only exchange them at the National Bank of Georgia.

Also, new rules for cash payments started on January 1, 2019. If a price ends in 1 or 2 tetri, it's rounded down to 0. If it ends in 3, 4, 6, or 7 tetri, it's rounded to 5 tetri.

The old 50 Tetri coin from 1995 was also taken out of use on January 1, 2018. You could exchange these old coins for a year at banks. After January 1, 2019, you can only exchange them at the National Bank of Georgia.

Second Series (2006)
Image		Value	Technical details			What's on the coin
Front	Back		Diameter	Weight	Material	Edge	Front (Obverse)	Back (Reverse)
		50 Tetri	24 mm	6.52 g	Stainless Steel	Smooth	The number “50” and the word თეთრი (tetri).	The coat of arms of Georgia, with sun rays around it. The words საქართველო and the year “2006”.
		1 Lari	26.2 mm	7.85 g	Copper-nickel	Reeded with words: Georgia in Georgian and English	The number “1” and the word ლარი (lari).	The coat of arms of Georgia, the word საქართველო on the top left, and the year “2006” on the bottom right.
		2 Lari	27 mm	8 g	Two metals: Copper-aluminium-nickel in the middle, Copper-nickel ring	Reeded with words: Georgia in Georgian and English	The number “2” and the word ლარი (lari). It has a design of sun rays.	The coat of arms of Georgia, with the word საქართველო around the edge, and the year “2006”.

First Series (1993)
Image		Value	Technical details			What's on the coin
Front	Back		Diameter	Weight	Material	Edge	Front (Obverse)	Back (Reverse)
		1 Tetri	15 mm	1.38 g	Stainless Steel	Smooth	The number "1" and the word თეთრი (tetri), with a vine design.	The Borjgali (a Georgian sun symbol with seven rays) over the Christian Tree of Life. The year “1993”, and the words საქართველოს რესპუბლიკა and "Republic of Georgia".
		2 Tetri	17.5 mm	1.9 g	Stainless Steel	Smooth	A Peacock with open wings, the word თეთრი (tetri) and the number “2”.
		5 Tetri	20 mm	2.5 g	Stainless Steel	Smooth	A golden lion statue from an ancient burial mound. The number “5”, and the word თეთრი (tetri).
		10 Tetri	21.9 mm	3 g	Stainless Steel	Smooth	Saint Mammes riding a lion, from an 11th-century silver plate. The number “10” and the word თეთრი (tetri).
		20 Tetri	25 mm	5 g	Stainless Steel	Smooth	A stag from a painting by Georgian artist Niko Pirosmanashvili. The number “20” and the word თეთრი (tetri).
		50 Tetri	19 mm	2.45 g	Brass	Smooth	A Griffin from the 11th-century Samtavisi Cathedral. The number “50”, and the word თეთრი (tetri).

Lari Banknotes

New Banknotes (2016–2019)

Between November 2016 and October 2019, the National Bank of Georgia released a new set of five banknotes. These are in values of ₾5, ₾10, ₾20, ₾50, and ₾100. These new Lari notes are printed by the Polish Security Printing Works.

Image		Value	Size	Main color	What's on it		Date of
Front	Back				Front	Back	printing	issue
		₾5 (Khuti lari)	122 × 62 mm	Brown	A picture of Georgian author Ivane Javakhishvili and the main building of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.	Details from Niko Pirosmani's paintings Threshing and Fisherman in a Red Shirt, plus Georgia's coat of arms.		2017	1 September 2017
		₾10 (Ati lari)	127 × 64 mm	Blue	A picture of Georgian author Akaki Tsereteli and a part of his poem Spring.	A detail from Georgian artist David Kakabadze's painting Imereti - My Mother, and Georgia's coat of arms.		2019	1 October 2019
		₾20 (Otsi lari)	132 × 66 mm	Magenta	A picture of Ilia Chavchavadze, with his magazines Sakartvelos Moambe and Iveria, and his personal items.	A statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, an 18th-century map of Tbilisi, and a view of old Tbilisi with Narikala fortress. Also, Georgia's coat of arms.		2016	1 February 2016
		₾50 (Ormotsdaati lari)	137 × 68 mm	Green	A picture of Georgian Queen Tamar, the Vardzia cave monastery, and a carving from the Pitareti Virgin Mary Monastery.	A miniature of a Sagittarius from a 12th-century book, and Georgia's coat of arms.		2016	1 February 2016
		₾100 (Asi lari)	142 × 70 mm	Violet	A picture of Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli, an illustration from his poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, and a carving of Daniel in the lions' den.	The Georgian National Opera Theater, a part of the Georgian national anthem's music, and Georgia's coat of arms.		2016	1 November 2016
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixel per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

Older Banknotes

The National Bank of Georgia announced that Lari banknotes from 1995 to 1999 (values ₾1, ₾2, ₾5, ₾10, ₾20, ₾50, and ₾100) would no longer be valid money after January 1, 2022. From that date, you can only exchange these older notes at the National Bank of Georgia.

Image		Value	Size	Main color	What's on it			Date of			Notes
Front	Back				Front	Back		printing	issue	withdrawal
		₾1 (Erti lari)	115 × 61 mm	Green/Grey	A picture of Georgian artist Niko Pirosmanashvili (Pirosmani).	A view of Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, and a picture of a stag from Pirosmani's painting.		2002	5 August 2002		Replaced by coins in 2006
		₾2 (Ori Lari)	115 × 61 mm	Green/Orange	A picture of Georgian composer Zacharia Paliashvili and music notes from his opera.	The building of the Tbilisi Zacharia Paliashvili Opera and Ballet State Theatre.		2002	5 August 2002		Replaced by coins in 2006
		₾5 (Khuti lari)	115 × 61 mm	Brown	A picture of Georgian academic Ivane Javakhishvili.	The main building of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University with an open book.		2002	5 August 2002
		₾10 (Ati lari)	125 × 63 mm	Blue	A picture of Georgian poet Akaki Tsereteli, a swallow, and a blossoming branch.	A detail from Georgian artist David Kakabadze's painting Imereti - My Mother and a vine.		2002	5 August 2002
		₾20 (Otsi lari)	131 × 65 mm	Navy yellow	A picture of Georgian public figure Ilia Chavchavadze, his magazines, and personal items.	A statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, an 18th-century map of Tbilisi, and a view of old Tbilisi with Narikala fortress.		2002	5 August 2002
		₾50 (Ormotsdaati lari)	135 × 66 mm	Navy green	A picture of 12th-century Georgian Queen Tamar and a griffin.	A "Sagittarius astrological sign" from a 12th-century Georgian book.		2004	9 November 2004
		₾100 (Asi lari)	140 × 67 mm	Light green	A picture of Shota Rustaveli and angels raising a cross.	A scene from the Bible story "Daniel in the den of lions" from the Martvili monastery.		2004	9 November 2004
		₾200 (Orasi lari)	146 × 72 mm	Yellow	A picture of Kakutsa Cholokashvili with parts of Georgian cultural art in the background.	The city of Sukhumi and parts of an old church screen from the village Tsebelda.		2006	15 April 2007
		₾500 (Khutasi lari)	143 × 66 mm	Green	A picture of David IV.	Old Georgian writings and a cross.		1995			This banknote was never officially released.
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixel per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

See also

• Economy of Georgia (country)
• Larization