Sudanese pound facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sudanese pound
Current coins
ISO 4217 Code	SDG
User(s)	Sudan
Inflation	16.9%
Source	https://www.xe.com/currency/sdg-sudanese-pound, 2016 est.
Subunit
1⁄100	piastre (qirsh)
piastre (qirsh)	PT
Coins	1 PT, 5 PT, 10 PT, 20 PT, 50 PT, LS 1
Banknotes	LS 2, LS 5, LS 10, LS 20, LS 50, LS 100, LS 200, LS 500, LS 1,000

The Sudanese pound is the official money used in the Republic of the Sudan. It is also known as "Jineh Sudani" in Arabic. You might see it shortened to LS or ج.س.

One Sudanese pound is made up of 100 smaller units called piastres, or qirsh in Arabic. The Central Bank of Sudan is in charge of printing and managing this money.

The value of the Sudanese pound has changed a lot over time. For example, it dropped significantly after the United States put economic rules on Sudan. This made it harder for Sudan to trade with other countries. The pound kept losing value, which caused big problems for Sudan's economy.

After South Sudan became its own country in 2011, Sudan lost many of its oil resources. Oil was a major source of foreign money for Sudan. This loss made it even harder for the Sudanese pound to stay strong against other currencies like the US dollar.

History of the Sudanese Pound

The First Sudanese Pound (SDP)

Before Sudan had its own money, people used the Egyptian pound. In 1956, when Sudan became an independent country, it created its very own Sudanese pound. This new pound had the same value as the Egyptian pound it replaced.

The first Sudanese pound was divided into 100 piastres. Each piastre was then divided into 10 smaller parts called "millims."

For many years, from 1958 to 1978, the Sudanese pound was linked to the US dollar. This meant its value was set against the dollar. But after that, its value started to drop many times.

In 1992, the Sudanese pound was replaced by a new currency called the Sudanese dinar. One dinar was worth 10 old pounds. Even though the dinar was used in northern Sudan, people in South Sudan still often talked about prices in pounds. This changed when South Sudan got its own money in 2011.

The Second Sudanese Pound (SDG)

A new Sudanese pound was introduced in 2007. This happened because of a peace agreement between the government and a group called the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. The goal was to create a new currency that showed all the different cultures in Sudan.

This second pound replaced the dinar. One new pound was worth 100 dinars. It became the only official money in Sudan by July 2007.

The Current Sudanese Pound

The third version of the Sudanese pound was created on July 24, 2011. This happened right after South Sudan became independent. The Sudanese pound was used in South Sudan for a short time, but then South Sudan got its own currency.

The Sudanese pound's value was changed again in February 2021. This was done to try and close the gap between the official exchange rate and the rate people used on the street. In July 2024, the pound continued to lose value against the US dollar.

Coins

Early Coins in Sudan

In 1885, local rulers in Sudan, like the Mahdi and the Khalifa, made their own silver and gold coins. These coins were used alongside the Egyptian money. Over time, the quality of these coins got worse, changing from silver to copper. Coin making stopped in 1897.

Between 1908 and 1914, a local ruler named Ali Dinar also made coins in Darfur, a region in western Sudan. These coins looked similar to Egyptian coins of that time.

Coins of the First Pound

In 1956, Sudan started making its own coins. These included small coins called millims (1, 2, 5, and 10 millims) and larger coins called piastres (2, 5, and 10 piastres). The millim coins were made of bronze, and the piastre coins were made of a mix of copper and nickel. Some of these coins had interesting shapes, like scallop shells.

Later, in the 1980s, new coins were made from different metals like brass and aluminum-bronze. Some of these coins also had unique shapes, like squares and octagons.

Coins of the Second Pound

When the second Sudanese pound was introduced, new coins were also made. These included 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 piastre coins. Some of these coins were "bi-metallic," meaning they were made of two different metals, giving them two colors. For example, the 20 piastre coin had a yellow ring with a silver center.

Banknotes

Banknotes of the First Pound

One-pound note, series 1987
Front of the note	Back of the note

In 1957, the Sudan Currency Board started printing banknotes for 25 and 50 piastres, and for 1, 5, and 10 Sudanese pounds. Later, the Bank of Sudan took over printing. They added larger notes like 20, 50, and 100 pounds in the 1980s.

Banknotes of the Second Pound

When the second Sudanese pound was introduced in 2007, new banknotes were printed. These included notes for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 pounds. The 1 pound note was later replaced by a coin. Printing these new notes cost about 156 million US dollars.

Banknotes of the Current Pound

The banknotes of the third Sudanese pound look similar to the second pound notes. However, their colors are different, and some symbols related to South Sudan were removed after it became independent. The map of the country on the notes was also redrawn.

New Banknotes Issued

To help with economic problems, the Central Bank of Sudan announced new banknotes in 2019. These included LS 100, LS 200, and LS 500 notes. A LS 1,000 banknote was also issued in 2022.

See also

• Economy of Sudan
• South Sudanese pound
• Egyptian pound