# What is the lowest value of currency in circulation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513 "2004-06-03T21:48:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/1 "2004-06-03T21:48:52Z")
[This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=259397) prompted me to wonder: In the world, at standard exchange rates, what is the lowest-valued coin, and what is it’s value in U.S. dollars? In fact, a list of the values (in U.S. dollars) of lowest-denomination coins for all nations, or at least all large and/or industrialized nations would be appreciated. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![caymus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/2 "2004-06-03T22:16:47Z")
According to the Guiness Book, the Turkish Lira (TRL) is the least valuable currency. According to this site there is currently 1,511,263.94 TRL to the dollar. This means that the 5000 TRL coin (now out of circulation) is worth about $0.0033. THe smallest coin currently minted in Turkey is the 25000TRL (worth about 1.6 cents). When I lived in Turkey in the late 80’s $1=1250TRL, and there was 1000TRL notes and 50TRL coins! I knew I should not have kept all those lira when I moved home! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/3 "2004-06-03T23:35:33Z")
The lowest denomination in € is the 1 cent coin, which is worth roughly the same that an US cent. Curiously, it’s also worth roughly the same (a little more, actually) than the former smallest french coin, the 5 centimes coin. What is curious is that the 5 centimes coins was quite widely used, while the similar 1 cent coin is very rarely used. I think there’s something psychological at play which makes that businesses or customers had no issue with prices like 8.45 FF but that prices like, say 1,29 € seem too weird to be displayed. 5 units appeared OK, but 1 unit appears just ludicrous, apparently, even though the value is actually the same. ---
**Author:** ![RindaRinda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@RindaRinda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RindaRinda)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/4 "2004-06-04T00:14:23Z")
The lowest value currencies I have personally used are the Cambodian riel and Vietnamese dong. As of Thursday, June 3, there are 4,128.80 riel to the US dollar. The smallest denomination is the 100 riel bill, which is worth USD0.024. As of the same day, there are 15,685 dong to the US dollar. The smallest denomination is the 200 dong bill, which is worth USD0.013. However, the value outside the respective countries is zero, as you aren’t supposed to take them out of the country, and they cannot be exchanged. The local currencies are pretty worthless, so foreign currencies are accepted. Thai baht and the USD are widely used in Cambodia, and USD are also commonly accepted in lieu of dong. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/5 "2004-06-04T11:19:00Z")
Interesting, but note there is a big difference between the smallest _unit_ of currency and the smallest _coin_, which is what the OP asked. > [@caymus28](#): > > According to this site there is currently 1,511,263.94 TRL to the dollar. This means that the 5000 TRL coin (now out of circulation) is worth about $0.0033. THe smallest coin currently minted in Turkey is the 25000TRL (worth about 1.6 cents). When I lived in Turkey in the late 80’s $1=1250TRL, and there was 1000TRL notes and 50TRL coins! I knew I should not have kept all those lira when I moved home! :smack: Well, it’s not a currently issued coin, but I have in my possession a Turkish **1 kurus** coin (100 kurus = 1 lira). It’s not that old (dates from the 1960s I think), but at today’s exchange rates it’s worth only 0.0000667 US cents. That’s got to take some beating. Quite a few nations with very small base units of currency don’t bother with coins at all. Two examples from countries I have visited: the smallest unit in circulation in Cambodia is the [50 riel](http://www.farangonline.com/disp_articles.asp?art=432&origin=) note, worth about 1.25 US cents. Similarly, Zambia issues [20 kwacha](http://www.boz.zm/Banking/zambian_currency_notes.htm) notes, which are worth 0.42 US cents. Russia apparently still issues [1 kopek coins](http://www.cbr.ru/eng/bank-notes_coins/coins/) (0.01 ruble) which are worth 0.034 US cents. That’s the best I can come up with. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/6 "2004-06-04T11:28:30Z")
Sorry for the double post, but I have just discovered that, to the dismay of aspiring billionaires everywhere, Turkey is to introduce the New Turkish Lira (YTL) which will equal one million old lira, from January 1 2005. ☹ [Frequently Asked Questions on YTL](http://www.tcmb.gov.tr/yeni/iletisimgm/NTL_faq.htm) ---
**Author:** ![edfsb925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@edfsb925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edfsb925)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/7 "2012-01-07T18:09:41Z")
The lowest world currency in the world would be the Equador Sucre 1 U.S dollar is equal to 24,995 Sucre. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/8 "2012-01-07T19:29:27Z")
How’s inflation in Zimbabwe these days. Just a few years ago, their $100 billion note was worth about one USD. Which means if you happened to have a 1 Zimbabwean Dollar banknote from way back when it’d be worth a billionth of a cent. ---
**Author:** ![Terra1041](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Terra1041](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terra1041)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/9 "2012-01-08T18:16:29Z")
Zimbabwe withdrew their currency a few years ago. Now Zimbabweans just use foreign currency. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/10 "2012-01-08T19:10:46Z")
> [@edfsb925](#): > > The lowest world currency in the world would be the Equador Sucre 1 U.S dollar is equal to 24,995 Sucre. Huh? Even when this thread was not a zombie that wasn’t true. Since 2000 they have been using US dollars with Ecuadorian centavo coins (value = US cents). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-lowest-value-of-currency-in-circulation/248513/11 "2012-01-08T19:37:32Z")
This question does not have a stable answer, of course, what with demonetized and revalued currencies, or just simple shifts in exchange rates. Not to mention what constitutes “circulation” for coins and notes which are no longer in official use. Possibly, we should answer Vietnam on the basis that it is a very small currency which has been in use for quite some time without revaluation (since 1985), and might continue to do so. It has not been the smallest currency it all times during the last couple decades, but has usually been close to it. Not to mention the comedic possibilities inherent in the currency name: [Miss Earth 2010 Helps Raise Vietnamese Dongs](http://www.podpocalypse.com/2011/02/02/vietnamese-dongs-are-on-the-rise/)