- Austral redirects here. For more uses of the word "austral", see Austral (disambiguation)
The Argentine austral (Spanish: austral argentino; symbol: 
; code: ARA) was the currency of Argentina from June 15, 1985 to December 31, 1991. It was subdivided into 100 centavos. The austral symbol, an uppercase "A" with an extra horizontal line, was featured on all coins issued in the currency to distinguish them from those of earlier Argentine currencies.
History[]
The austral was introduced on June 15, 1985, replacing the Argentine peso argentino at a rate of 1 austral = 1000 pesos argentinos. It was itself replaced by the peso on December 31, 1991 at a rate of 1 peso = 10,000 australes.
Coins[]
A 1000 austral coin from 1991.
The first series of austral coins was introduced in 1985, and consisted of brass ½, 1, 5, 10, and 50 centavo coins. The ½ centavo coin was only issued in 1985, while production of the 1 centavo coin was discontinued in 1987, followed by the 5 centavo coin in 1988 and the 10 and 50 centavo coins in 1989. In 1989, aluminum 1, 5, and 10 austral coins were issued, followed by 100, 500, and 1000 austral coins of the same composition in 1990 and 1991. Additionally, a silver 1000 austral coin was issued in 1991, struck to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Genoese explorer Christoper Columbus in the Americas.
During the circulation of the austral in Argentina, a small number of Argentine provinces, including Catamarca and La Rioja, issued their own token coinage denominated in australes.
Banknotes[]
An overstamped 1000 peso argentino note valued at one austral.
A provisional issue of austral paper money consisting of 1, 5, and 10 austral notes respectively overstamped on obsolete 1000, 5000, and 10,000 peso argentino notes was issued in 1985. Such provisional issues were withdrawn on November 30, 1987. Definitive 1, 10, and 100 austral notes were issued by the Banco Central de la República Argentina (Central Bank of Argentina) later that year, followed by 5 and 50 austral notes in 1986, 500 and 1000 austral notes in 1988, 5000, 10,000, and 50,000 austral notes in 1989, and 100,000 and 500,000 austral notes in 1990. The central bank also issued provisional 10,000, 50,000, and 500,000 austral banknotes produced from modified peso ley plates.
A number of the Argentine provinces and banks issued their own local paper money denominated in australes, including the Libranza de Caja de Ahorro Hipotecaria Mortgage Savings Bank of Buenos Aires, Jujuy Province, Salta Province, Tucumán Province, and La Rioja Province.
See also[]
References[]
| Argentine austral | |
|---|---|
| Banknotes | ₳1 • ₳5 • ₳10 • ₳50 • ₳100 • ₳500 • ₳1000 • ₳5000 • ₳10,000 • ₳50,000 • ₳100,000 • ₳500,000 |
| Coins | ¢½ • ¢1 • ¢5 • ¢10 • ¢50 • ₳1 • ₳5 • ₳10 • ₳100 • ₳500 • ₳1000 |
| Miscellaneous | Argentine Mint • Centavo • Central Bank of Argentina |