Honduran lempira | |
---|---|
lempira hondureño (Spanish) | |
ISO 4217 | |
Code | HNL |
Denominations | |
Subunit | |
1/100 | centavo |
Symbol | L |
Banknotes | L1, L2, L5, L10, L20, L50, L100, L500 |
Coins | 5, 10, 20, 50 centavos |
Demographics | |
User(s) | Honduras |
Issuance | |
Central bank | Central Bank of Honduras |
Website | www |
Valuation | |
Inflation | 7.7% |
Source | Central Bank of Honduras, June 2011. |
The lempira (/lɛmˈpɪrə/, sign: L, ISO 4217 code: HNL) is the currency of Honduras. It is subdivided into 100 centavos.
The lempira was named after the 16th-century cacique Lempira, a ruler of the indigenous Lenca people, who is renowned in Honduran folklore for leading the (ultimately unsuccessful) local native resistance against the Spanish conquistador forces. He is a national hero, and is honoured on both the 1 lempira note and the 20 and 50 centavos coins.
The lempira was introduced in 1931, replacing the peso at par. In the late 1980s, the exchange rate was two lempiras to the United States dollar (the 20-centavos coin is called a daime as it was worth the same as a U.S. dime). As of June 11, 2015, the lempira was quoted at 21.93 HNL to 1 USD.
In 1931, coins were introduced in denominations of 5, 20 & 50 centavos, and 1 lempira. One-, 2- and 10-centavos coins were added in 1935, 1939 and 1932, respectively. The silver 1-lempira coins ceased production in 1937, with the other silver coins (20 & 50 centavos) replaced by cupro-nickel in 1967. The 1- and 2-centavos coins were discontinued in 1974 and 1998, respectively.
Coins currently in circulation are [1]
The Bank of Honduras and the Banco Atlantida issued the first lempira banknotes in 1932. They were in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 lempiras. The Central Bank of Honduras took over production of paper money in 1950, introducing 50-lempiras notes in 1951. In 1975, 100-lempiras notes were added, followed by the 500-lempiras note in 1995.