Uzbekistani sum

The sum (ISO code: UZS) is the official currency of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan replaced the ruble with the sum at par on 16 July 1994. No subdivisions of this sum were initially issued and only banknotes were produced, in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 sum. Further series, however, have introduced coins and a subunit, the tiyin. Because it was meant to be a transitional currency, the original design used during the first years of the republic was rather simplistic.

Etymology

The official name of the Soviet currency in the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Uzbek languages was the som, and this name appeared written on the back of banknotes, among the texts for the value of the note in all 15 official languages of the USSR. This word translates as 'pure' in several Turkic languages, and is derived from the Proto-Turkic *som, meaning 'pure' or 'solid'. The word implies pure silver or gold.

First sum

History

Like other republics of the former Soviet Union, Uzbekistan continued using the Soviet/Russian ruble after independence. On 26 July 1993, a new series of Russian ruble was issued and the 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 the sum at par in on 15 November 1993.

The rampant inflation situation is considered a politically sensitive issue in Uzbekistan, which is why the Uzbek government is slow to acclimate the currency to its current value by issuing higher coin and note denominations. As a result, the current highest coin denomination in circulation is the 1000 sum while the highest banknote denomination is the 200,000 sum. Official state figures put inflation as of the first half of 2011 at 3.6%, however accurate numbers are pinned far higher. Coins and banknotes below 50 sum are practically worthless now.

As of December 2025, the annual inflation rate in Uzbekistan is 7.3%. This marks the lowest inflation rate since December 2016. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has noted that the slowdown is primarily attributed to the stabilizing effects of the 2024 energy price liberalization.

Coins

Three series of coins have been issued for the second sum. They can be easily distinguished by the script used for the Uzbek language. The first series was written in Cyrillic script, while the second and third series is written in Latin script.

First series (1994–2000)

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%"

|+First series coins (1994–2000)

! Diameter !! Mass !! Composition !! Edge !! Obverse !! Reverse !! minting !! issue !! withdrawal !! lapse

| align="center" bgcolor="#000000| frameless|120x120px

| 1 tiyin

| 16,9 mm

| 1,75 g

|rowspan="3"| Brass-clad steel

| Smooth

|rowspan="9"| Coat of arms with 12 stars<br/>State title

|rowspan="9"| Value, year of minting

|rowspan="6"| 1994

|rowspan="6"| July 1994

|rowspan="9"| 1 March 2020

|rowspan="9"| 1 January 2021

| colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" |120px

| 50 sum

| 26.1 mm

| 7.9 g

| Value, statue and ruin of Shahrisabz

| 2002

| 1 July 2019

! Diameter !! Mass !! Composition !! Edge !! Obverse !! Reverse !! minting !! issue !! withdrawal !! lapse

| align="center" bgcolor="#000000"| 120px

| 50 sum

| 18.0 mm

| 2.0g

|rowspan="4"| Nickel-plated steel

|rowspan="4"| Plain

| Denomination

|rowspan="4"| National emblem of Uzbekistan, year of minting

|rowspan="4"| 2018

|rowspan="4"| 2 July 2018

! Obverse !! Reverse !! Obverse !! Reverse

|align="center"| 120px

| 1 sum

| Green and pink

|rowspan="2"| National emblem of Uzbekistan

| Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater in Tashkent

|rowspan="7"| 1994

|rowspan="7"| 1 July 1994

|rowspan="5"| 1 March 2020

|align="center"| 120px

| 100 sum

| Purple

| Palace of Friendship of Peoples in Tashkent

|align="center"| 120px

| 200 sum

| Green

| rowspan="5" | National emblem of Uzbekistan

| Detail of a tiger mosaic (Shir o Khorshid) on the Sherdor Madrasah at the Registan in Samarkand

| 1997

| 1 March 1997

|rowspan="2"| 1 July 2020

| style="background:#000;text-align:right"|99px

| style="background:#000"|99px

| 5,000 sum

| style="background:#80C080"| || Green

| Sherdor madrasasi in Samarkand, National emblem of Uzbekistan

| Archaeological Monuments of Afrosiyob belonging to the 8th-5th centuries BC, Archeological find of a 10th-century pottery jug and an embossed ceramic bowl found in the ruins of Afrosiyob

| Camel and "5000"

| rowspan="2" | 20 August 2021

| style="background:#000;text-align:right"|103px

| style="background:#000"|103px

| 10,000 sum

| rowspan="3" | 147 × 69 mm

| style="background:#80C0FF"| || Blue

| Great Silk Road, Architectural monument Kokaldosh madrasasi in Tashkent, National emblem of Uzbekistan

| Oldest monument in the territory of Tashkent, which dates back to the 1st century BC - Shoshtepa archaeological monument, Ancient ceramics of Tashkent, pottery of 10th-12th century, and household utensils of the 10th century

| Camel and "10000"

| style="background:#000;text-align:right"|103px

| style="background:#000"|103px

| 20,000 sum

| style="background:#A080C0"| || Indigo

| Koi Krylgan Kala archeology site, caravan routes on map of Uzbekistan, textile patterns, National emblem of Uzbekistan

| 6th-century pottery from Aral and Caspian Seas, embroidery design

| Camel and "20000"

| 14 June 2021

| style="background:#000;text-align:right"|103px

| style="background:#000"|103px

| 50,000 sum

| style="background:#C080FF"| || Purple

| Al-Hakim At-Termiziy Maqbarasi in Surxondaryo, caravan routes on map of Uzbekistan, National emblem of Uzbekistan

| Fayoztepa Arxeologiya Yodgorligi ancient archaeological monument in Surxondaryo, flying dove, 17th-century pottery from Sopollitepa

| Camel and "50000"

| rowspan="2" | 22 December 2021

| style="background:#000"|106px

| 100,000 sum

| rowspan="2" | 152 × 69 mm

| style="background:#FFC080"| || Orange

| Ichan Qal’a museum in Khiva, Khorezm, caravan routes on map of Uzbekistan, National emblem of Uzbekistan

| Angkaqal’a Archeologiya Yodgorligi fortress in Khorezm, 1st-century BC silver coin, 10th-century pottery from Khorezm

| Camel and "100000"

| style="background:#000"|106px

| 200,000 sum

| style="background:#80E0FF"| || Cyan

| Xudoyorxon O’rdasi (Khan’s Palace) in Kokand, Fergana, caravan routes on map of Uzbekistan, National emblem of Uzbekistan

| Axsikent Arxeologiya Yodgorligi (ancient archaeological monument) in ancient Fergana, pomegranate, double-headed snake and ceramic bowl

| Camel and "200000"

| 2022

| 15 July 2022

|colspan="12"|

Exchange rates

At its introduction on 1 July 1994, 1 US dollar was equal to 25 sum.

2017 reform

On 2 September 2017, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev issued a decree "On priority measures of liberalizing foreign exchange policy". The reform took effect on 5 September 2017. The currency was untethered from its US dollar peg and started to float. As a result the sum's exchange rate to the US dollar increased from 4,210 Uzbek sum to 8,100 Uzbek sum. The new rate was even weaker than the sum's black-market convertibility of about 7,700 to the dollar. Restrictions on the amount of foreign currencies individuals and companies could buy were also abolished on the same day.

From February 1, 2018 to February 1, 2025 the exchange rate for the US Dollar rose from 8175 to 12957 Sum (UZS) per USD. This corresponded to an era of Uzbek double digit inflation. However, by February 1, 2026 the rate had dipped to 12199.

Uzbekistani sum

Etymology

First sum

History

Coins

First series (1994–2000)

Exchange rates

2017 reform

See also

Notes

References

Sources

External links