Ethiopian birr
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{{otheruses2|Birr}}
{{Infobox Currency
| image_1 =
| image_title_1 = Obverse of an 1 Ethiopian birr
| image_2 = Ethiopia 1Birr Reverse.jpg
| image_title_2 = Reverse of an 1 Ethiopian birr
| iso_code = ETB
| using_countries = [[Ethiopia]]
| inflation_rate = 10.5%
| inflation_source_date = ''[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2092.html The World Factbook]'', 2006 est.
| subunit_ratio_1 = 1/100
| subunit_name_1 = [[centime|santim]]
| symbol = Br
| used_coins = 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 santim
| used_banknotes = 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 birr
| issuing_authority = [[National Bank of Ethiopia]]
| issuing_authority_website = www.nbe.gov.et
}}
The '''birr''' ({{lang-am|ብር}}) is the unit of [[currency]] in [[Ethiopia]]. Before [[1976]], ''dollar'' was the official English translation of ''birr''. Today, it is officially ''birr'' in English as well.
In [[1931]], the [[Emperor of Ethiopia]] formally requested that the international community use the name ''Ethiopia'' (as it had already been known internally for at least 1600 years) instead of ''Abyssinia'', and the issuing ''Bank of Abyssinia'' also became the ''Bank of Ethiopia''. Thus, the pre-1931 currency could be considered the ''Abyssinian birr'' and the post-1931 currency the Ethiopian ''birr'', although it was the same country and the same currency before and after.
==History==
===First birr, 1855-1936===
In the 18th and 19th centuries, [[Maria Theresa thaler]]s and blocks of [[salt]] called ''amoleh'' served as currency in Ethiopia. The ''thaler'' was known locally as the ''Birr'' (literally meaning "[[silver]]" in [[Ge'ez language|Ge'ez]] and [[Amharic language|Amharic]]) or ''taleri''. The Maria Theresa ''thaler'' was officially adopted as the standard coin in 1855, although the Indian rupee and the Mexican dollar were also used in foreign trade.
The ''talari'' (thaler, dollar, birr) became the standard unit on 9 February 1893 and 200,000 dollars were produced at the Paris Mint in 1894 for Menelik II. The ''talari'', equivalent to the Maria Theresa ''thaler'', was divided into 20 ''ghersh'' (also ''guerche'' or ''gersh'', the name coming from the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire's]] ''[[qirsh]]'') or 40 ''bessa'' (a small copper coin).
A new Ethiopian coinage appeared about [[1903]]. The new silver ''birr'' maintained the same weight and fineness as the old, but there was now a ''quarter-birr'' and a silver ''ghersh'', the latter 1/16th the weight of the ''birr''. The money of account now became 1 ''birr' = 16 ''ghersh'' = 32 ''bessa''.
The ''Bank of Abyssinia'' was established in 1905 by Menelik and the European banking group behind the National Bank of Egypt; the bank was officially inaugurated by Menelik on 15 February 1906. The Ethiopian coinage gained acceptance only gradually, and Bank of Abyssinia imported Maria Theresa ''thalers''. By the time World War One broke out, the bank was still importing about 1 200 000 of these coins annually. Bank of Abyssinia put banknotes into circulation in 1915. These notes were denominated ''birr' in Amharic and ''thaler' in English. They were used by merchants and by foreigners but were not initially accepted generally. However, Note circulation increased considerably after 1925.
Haile Selassie bought out the Bank of Abyssinia in 1931 for £235,000 in order to make it a purely Ethiopian institution. It was reorganized as ''Bank of Ethiopia''. At the same time, the currency was decimalized and token nickel and copper coins were introduced, the ''birr'' becoming equal to 100 ''metonnyas'' (often written ''matonas''). The text on the bank's notes appeared in Amharic and French.
By the mid-1930s circulation consisted chiefly of Maria Theresa and Menelik ''talari''.
===Italian Lira, 1936-1941===
Not long after the Italian occupation and the transformation of Ethiopia into [[Italian East Africa]], the [[Italian lira]] was introduced (15 July 1936) and Ethiopian banknotes were withdrawn from circulation at 3 lire per talar (birr). In an effort to increase the use of Italian paper money, the exchange rate for silver coin (Maria Theresa thalers) was raised to 4.50 lire, then to 5.00, and eventually, in stages, to 13.50. Still, many people kept their Ethiopian coins and banknotes.
Regular Italian coins and banknotes of Banca d'Italia circulated after 15 July 1936. Special notes with a red overprint were authorized for Italian East Africa on 12 September 1938, and a large quantity was printed. It is not clear, however, when, where, and to what extent these special notes actually circulated.
===East African Shilling, 1941-1945===
During the [[East African Campaign]] of 1941, British forces brought with them Indian, Egyptian, British, and British East African currency, and all were received in official payments. Italian coins and notes of up to 50 lire were allowed to continue in circulation to serve as small change; higher denominations were withdrawn at a rate of 24 lire per shilling. Maria Theresa thalers were allowed to circulate with a value of 10s 1/2d (or 45 lire). The [[East African shilling]] became the money of account on 1 July 1942; it eventually became the sole legal tender and remained so until 1945.
Regular notes of the [[East African Currency Board]] were used for circulation in Ethiopia.
===Second birr, 1945-===
The ''birr'' was reintroduced in [[1945]] at a rate of 1 ''birr'' = 2 shillings. The name ''Ethiopian dollar'' was used in the [[English language|English]] text on the banknotes. It was divided into 100 ''santim'' (derived from the French ''centime''). The name ''birr'' became the official name, used in all languages, in [[1976]].
==Coins==
[[Image:Ethiopia50matonasreverse.jpg|thumb|150px|Reverse of a 50 matonas coin from EE1923]]
===First birr===
Between 1894 and 1897 copper coins were introduced in denominations of {{fraction|1|100}} and {{fraction|1|32}} birr, together with silver 1 ''ghersh'', ⅛, ¼, ½ and 1 ''birr'', and gold ¼, ½ and 1 ''werk''. In 1931, a new series of coins was introduced consisting of copper 1 and 5 metonnyas, and nickel 10, 20 and 50 metonnyas.
===Second birr===
In 1944 (EE1936 in the [[Ethiopian calendar]]), coins were reintroduced, with copper 1, 5, 10 and 25 santim and silver 50 santim. A second series was issued in 1977 (EE1969) consisting of aluminium 1 santim, brass 5 and 10 santim, and cupro-nickel 25 and 50 santim. The most recent issues are:
*5 ''santim'' EE1998
*10 ''santim'' EE1996
*25 ''santim'' EE1996 (also called "''semuni''")
*50 ''santim'' EE1996
The dates, like the rest of the legend, appear in [[Amharic]], the official language of Ethiopia.
===Identification and appearance===
Besides having almost all the legends in Amharic, there are two features which help to immediately identify an Ethiopian birr. Early dated coins, those dated before EE1969, feature a crowned rampant lion holding a cross. This can be seen in the picture to the right. Later dated coins, those dated EE1969 or after, picture the head of a roaring lion, with a flowing mane.
Coins were struck at several mints, including Paris, Berlin, and Addis Ababa. Coins without mintmarks were generally struck at Addis Ababa. The coins struck at Paris have either the mintmark "A" with the cornucopia and fasces [[privy mark]]s, or the cornucopia and torch privy marks without the "A".
==Banknotes==
===First birr===
The Bank of Abyssinia introduced notes for 5, 10, 100, and 500 talari in 1915. 280,000 talari worth of notes was printed. The text on the notes was in Amharic and French. A 50-talari note was added in 1929, by which time over 1.5 million talari in notes were circulating.
The Bank of Ethiopia issued notes in 1932 in denominations of 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 talari. A 2-talari note dated 1 June 1933 was issued in honour of the Imperial couple. By the end of 1934 some 3.3 million talari in notes were circulating.
===Second birr===
In 1945, notes were introduced by the ''State Bank of Ethiopia'' in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 birr. The ''National Bank of Ethiopia'' took over note production in 1966 and issued all denominations except for the 500 birr. Banknotes have been issued in the following series:
{|class="wikitable"
|'''Series'''
|'''Denominations'''
|-
|1945
|1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 birr
|-
|1961
|1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 birr
|-
|1966
|1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 birr
|-
|1976
|1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 birr
|-
|1991
|1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 birr
|-
|1997
|1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 birr
|-
|2003
|1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 birr
|-
|2004
|50, 100 birr
|-
|2006
|1, 10, 50, 100 birr.<ref>{{cite web | author=Nachthund | date=[[2007-01-07]] | url=http://www.nachthund.biz/CatalogUpdate/Ethiopia/EthiopiaIndex.html | title=Update - Ethiopia. | accessdate=2007-01-19}}</ref>
|}
{{Exchange Rate|ETB|CNY}}
==See also==
* [[Economy of Ethiopia]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Standard numismatics external links
| world_coin_gallery_1_url = Ethiopia
| world_coin_gallery_1_name = Ethiopia
| banknote_world_1_url = ethiopia
| banknote_world_1_name = Ethiopia
| dollarization_1_url = et
| dollarization_1_name = Ethiopia
| dollarization_2_url = er
| dollarization_2_name = Eritrea
| gfd_1_url = Ethiopia
| gfd_1_name = Ethiopia
| gfd_data_1_url = 5541
| gfd_data_1_name = Ethiopia Birr
| show_gfd_excel = Y
}}
{{n-start|title=Ethiopian birr (thaler)}}
{{n-before|currency=[[Maria Theresa thaler]]|ratio=at par}}
{{n-currency|location=[[Abyssinia]]|start=[[1894]]|end=[[1931]]}}
{{n-currency|location=[[Ethiopia]]|start=[[1931]]|end=[[1936]]}}
{{n-after|currency=[[Italian lira]]|reason=annexed by [[Italy]] into [[Italian East Africa]]|ratio=5 lire = 1 birr}}
{{n-end}}
{{n-start|title=Ethiopian birr (dollar)}}
{{n-before|rowspan=2|currency=[[East African shilling]]|ratio=1 birr = 2 shillings|reason=end of British occupation}}
{{n-currency|colspan=2|location=[[Ethiopia]]|start=[[1945]]|note=English translation was "dollar" before [[1976]]}}
{{n-after}}
{{n-currency|location=[[Eritrea]] (as part of [[Ethiopia]])|start=[[1952]]|end=[[1993]]|note=[[Eritrea]] became part of a federation with Ethiopia in [[1952]]. Eritrea became a fully integrated part of Ethiopia in [[1960]]}}
{{n-currency|location=[[Eritrea]]|start=[[1993]]|end=[[1997]]}}
{{n-after|currency=[[Eritrean nakfa]]|ratio=at par|reason=currency independence}}
{{n-end}}
{{Currencies of Africa}}
[[Category:Economy of Ethiopia]]
[[am:ብር]]
[[ca:Birr]]
[[de:Äthiopischer Birr]]
[[el:Μπιρ]]
[[es:Birr]]
[[fr:Birr]]
[[ko:에티오피아 비르]]
[[bpy:ইথিওপিয়ান বির]]
[[id:Birr Ethiopia]]
[[it:Birr etiope]]
[[hu:Etióp birr]]
[[ms:Birr Habsyah]]
[[nl:Birr (munteenheid)]]
[[ja:ブル (通貨)]]
[[no:Birr]]
[[pl:Birr]]
[[pt:Birr Etíope]]
[[ru:Эфиопский быр]]
[[sv:Birr]]