Uzbekistani som
Encyclopedia
The som is the currency of Uzbekistan
in Central Asia
. The ISO 4217
currency code is UZS.
, speakers of Kazakh
, Kyrgyz
and Uzbek
called the ruble
the som, and this name appeared written on the back of banknotes, among the texts for the value of the bill in all 15 official languages of the Union. The word som (sometimes transliterated "sum" or "soum") means "pure" in Kyrgyz
, Uyghur
and Uzbek
, as well as in many other Turkic languages. The word implies "pure gold
"
, Uzbekistan continued using Soviet/Russian ruble
after independence. On July 26, 1993, a new series of Russian ruble was issued and old Soviet/Russian ruble ceased to be legal tender in Russia. Some successor states had their national currencies before the change, some chose to continue using the pre-1993 Soviet/Russian ruble, and some chose to use both the pre-1993 and the new Russian ruble. Tables of modern monetary history: Asia implies that both old and new rubles were used in Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan replaced the ruble with som at par in on November 15, 1993. No subdivisions of this som were issued and only banknotes were produced, in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 5000, and 10000 som. Because it was meant to be a transitional currency, the design was rather simplistic. All notes had the Coat of arms
on obverse, and an Islamic architecture on reverse. They only differ in color and value.
. The first series was written in Cyrillic script, while the second series is written in Latin script
.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. The ISO 4217
ISO 4217
ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Standards Organization, which delineates currency designators, country codes , and references to minor units in three tables:* Table A.1 – Current currency & funds code list...
currency code is UZS.
Etymology
In the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, speakers of Kazakh
Kazakh language
Kazakh is a Turkic language which belongs to the Kipchak branch of the Turkic languages, closely related to Nogai and Karakalpak....
, Kyrgyz
Kyrgyz language
Kyrgyz or Kirgiz, also Kirghiz, Kyrghiz, Qyrghiz is a Turkic language and, together with Russian, an official language of Kyrgyzstan...
and Uzbek
Uzbek language
Uzbek is a Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan. It has about 25.5 million native speakers, and it is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia...
called the ruble
Soviet ruble
The Soviet ruble or rouble was the currency of the Soviet Union. One ruble is divided into 100 kopeks, ....
the som, and this name appeared written on the back of banknotes, among the texts for the value of the bill in all 15 official languages of the Union. The word som (sometimes transliterated "sum" or "soum") means "pure" in Kyrgyz
Kyrgyz language
Kyrgyz or Kirgiz, also Kirghiz, Kyrghiz, Qyrghiz is a Turkic language and, together with Russian, an official language of Kyrgyzstan...
, Uyghur
Uyghur language
Uyghur , formerly known as Eastern Turk, is a Turkic language with 8 to 11 million speakers, spoken primarily by the Uyghur people in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of Western China. Significant communities of Uyghur-speakers are located in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and various other...
and Uzbek
Uzbek language
Uzbek is a Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan. It has about 25.5 million native speakers, and it is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia...
, as well as in many other Turkic languages. The word implies "pure gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
"
First Som
Like other republics of the former Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Uzbekistan continued using Soviet/Russian ruble
Russian ruble
The ruble or rouble is the currency of the Russian Federation and the two partially recognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Formerly, the ruble was also the currency of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union prior to their breakups. Belarus and Transnistria also use currencies with...
after independence. On July 26, 1993, a new series of Russian ruble was issued and old Soviet/Russian ruble ceased to be legal tender in Russia. Some successor states had their national currencies before the change, some chose to continue using the pre-1993 Soviet/Russian ruble, and some chose to use both the pre-1993 and the new Russian ruble. Tables of modern monetary history: Asia implies that both old and new rubles were used in Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan replaced the ruble with som at par in on November 15, 1993. No subdivisions of this som were issued and only banknotes were produced, in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 5000, and 10000 som. Because it was meant to be a transitional currency, the design was rather simplistic. All notes had the Coat of arms
Coat of arms of Uzbekistan
The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle...
on obverse, and an Islamic architecture on reverse. They only differ in color and value.
Second Som
On July 1, 1994, a second som was introduced at a rate of 1 new som = 1000 old som. This som is subdivided into 100 tiyin. At its introduction, 1 U.S. dollar was equal to 25 som. Currently, the largest denomination of Uzbek currency, the 1000 som bill, is worth approximately 60 cents U.S., requiring Uzbeks to carry enormous numbers of bills just to carry out grocery shopping and bill payment.Coins
2 series of coins have been issued for the second som. They can be easily distinguished by the script used for UzbekUzbek language
Uzbek is a Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan. It has about 25.5 million native speakers, and it is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia...
. The first series was written in Cyrillic script, while the second series is written in Latin script
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
.
| First Series | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Value | Composition | Description | Date of minting | ||
| Obverse | Reverse | Obverse | Reverse | |||
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin2_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1tiin.gif | 1 tiyin | Brass Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin... clad steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... with 12 stars State title |
Value, year of minting | 1994 |
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin2_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/3tiin.gif | 3 tiyin | ||||
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin2_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/5tiin.gif | 5 tiyin | ||||
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin1_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/10tiin.gif | 10 tiyin | Nickel Nickel Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile... clad steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... with 12 stars State title |
Value, year of minting | 1994 |
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin1_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/20tiin.gif | 20 tiyin | ||||
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin1_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/50tiin.gif | 50 tiyin | ||||
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin1_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1som1.gif | 1 som | 1997, 1998, 1999 | |||
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin1_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/5som1.gif | 5 som | 1997, 1998, 1999 | |||
| http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/1_3_5tiin1_o.gif | http://www.cbu.uz/img/mony/monet/10som1.gif | 10 som | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 | |||
| Second Series | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Value | Technical parameters | Description | Date of minting | ||||
| Diameter | Mass | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | |||
| 1 som | 18.4 mm | 2.83 g | Stainless steel Stainless steel In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass.... |
Reeded | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... without stars Bank title, year of minting |
Value, map of Uzbekistan | 2000 | |
 |
5 som | 21.2 mm | 3.35 g | Brass Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin... clad steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Plain | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... without stars Bank title, year of minting |
Value, map of Uzbekistan | 2001 |
| 10 som | 19.75 mm | 2.71 g | Nickel Nickel Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile... clad steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten... |
Plain | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... without stars Bank title, year of minting |
Value, map of Uzbekistan | 2001 | |
| 25 som | 27 mm | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... without stars State title, year of minting |
Value, Jaloliddin Manguberdi | 1999 | ||||
 |
50 som | 26.1 mm | 8 g | Plain and reeded sections | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... without stars Bank title, year of minting |
Value, map of Uzbekistan | 20011 | |
 |
50 som | 26.1 mm | 7.9 g | Value, statue and ruin of Shahrisabz Shahrisabz Shakhrisabz , is a city in Uzbekistan located approximately 80 km south of Samarkand with the population of 53,000 . It is located at the altitude of 622 m. Once a major city of Central Asia, it is primarily known today as the birthplace of 14th century Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur... |
20022 | |||
| 100 som | 26.9 mm | 7.9 g | Inscription | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... without stars Bank title, year of minting |
Value, map of Uzbekistan, sunrays | 20043 | ||
Note
- 10th anniversary of independence
- 2700th anniversary of the founding of Shahrisabz
- 10th anniversary of the Uzbekistani som
Banknotes
| 1994 Series | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Value | Main Colour | Description | Date of printing | ||
| Obverse | Reverse | Obverse | Reverse | |||
| 1 som | Green and pink | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... |
Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater in Tashkent Tashkent Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:... |
1994 | ||
| 3 som | Red | Mosque of Çaçma Ayub Mazar Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum is located near the Samani Mausoleum, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Its name means Job's well, due to the legend in which Job visited this place and made a well by striking the ground with his staff. The water of this well is still pure and is considered healing... in Bukhara Bukhara Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time... |
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| 5 som | Blue and orange | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... and Islamic pattern |
Ali Shir Nawai Monument in Tashkent Tashkent Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:... |
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| 10 som | Purple | Gur-e Amir Gur-e Amir The Gūr-e Amīr or Guri Amir is a mausoleum of the Asian conqueror Tamerlane in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It occupies an important place in the history of Persian Architecture as the precursor and model for later great Mughal architecture tombs, including Humayun's Tomb in Delhi and the Taj Mahal in... in Samarkand Samarkand Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came... |
||||
| 25 som | Blue and pink | The Mausoleum of Kazi Zade Rumi in the Shah-i-Zinda Shah-i-Zinda Shah-i-Zinda is a necropolis in the north-eastern part of Samarkand, Uzbekistan.The Shah-i-Zinda Ensemble includes mausoleums and other ritual buildings of 9-14th and 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda is connected with the legend that Kusam ibn Abbas, the cousin of the prophet Muhammad was... complex in Samarkand Samarkand Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came... |
||||
| 50 som | Brown | The three Madrasah Madrasah Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious... s of the Registan Registan The Registan was the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand, now in Uzbekistan. The name Registan means "Sandy place" in Persian.... in Samarkand Samarkand Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came... |
||||
| 100 som | Purple | Bunyodkor Palace in Tashkent Tashkent Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:... |
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| 200 som | Green | Coat of arms Coat of arms of Uzbekistan The state emblem of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. It is similar to the emblem of the previous Uzbek SSR. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one.The emblem is in the form of a circle... |
Detail of a tiger mosaiс on the Sher-Dor Madrasah at the Registan Registan The Registan was the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand, now in Uzbekistan. The name Registan means "Sandy place" in Persian.... in Samarkand Samarkand Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came... |
1997 | ||
| 500 som | Red and some green | Statue of Timur Timur Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until... in Tashkent Tashkent Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:... |
1999 | |||
| 1000 som | Grey | Amir Timur Museum Amir Timur Museum The Amir Timur Museum is a museum in the city of Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. It is well known for its distinctive blue dome and ornate interior and features the exhibits of Timur and President Islam Karimov. The museum was established to commemorate the 660th birthday of Timur... in Tashkent Tashkent Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:... |
2001 | |||