Somoni

Сомонӣ (Tajik)
SM 5 obverse and reverse.
ISO 4217
Code	TJS (numeric: 972)
Subunit	0.01
Unit
Symbol	SM‎
Denominations
Subunit
1⁄100	diram
Banknotes
Freq. used	SM 10, SM 20, SM 50, SM 100, SM 200, SM 500
Rarely used	1, 5, 20, 50 dirams, SM 1, SM 3, SM 5
Coins
Freq. used	10, 20, 50 dirams, SM 1, SM 3, SM 5
Rarely used	1, 2, 5, 25 dirams
Demographics
Replaced	Tajik rouble
User(s)	Tajikistan
Issuance
Central bank	National Bank of Tajikistan
Website	www.nbt.tj
Valuation
Inflation	3.8%
Source	National Bank of Tajikistan, December 2023

The somoni (Tajik: cомонӣ, ISO 4217 code: TJS; abbreviation:SM) is the currency of Tajikistan. It is subdivided into 100 dirams (Tajik: дирам).

History

The somoni was introduced on 30 October 2000,^[1] replacing the rouble, at the rate of SM 1 = 1,000 Rbls.^[2]

One somoni is divided into 100 dirams. Diram banknotes were first introduced on 30 October 2000, and coins were later introduced in 2001 with the intention of creating a more efficient monetary system and gradually replacing the diram notes. This was also the first time circulating coins were used in Tajikistan since independence in 1991.^[3]

Coins

Circulation coins, first issued in 2001, were struck in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50 dirams composed of brass-clad steel and SM 1, SM 3, and SM 5 struck in nickel-clad steel. Bimetallic SM 3 and SM 5 coins were first released in 2003. The reverses of all somoni coins are changed annually and commemorate various events. A second issue dated 2011 was issued in June 2012, and included 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 dirams and SM 1.^{[citation needed]} A third series of somoni coins was issued in 2018 in denominations of SM 1, SM 3 and SM 5.

Tajikistan coins are struck by Goznak at the Saint Petersburg Mint in Russia.^{[citation needed]}

The First Series [1]
Image		Value	Technical parameters				Description			Date of minting
Reverse	Obverse		Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse
		5 dirams	16.5 mm	1.35 mm	2 g	brass-clad steel	Plain	Tajik 7-star crown, "ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон"1, year of minting	Value	2001
		10 dirams	17.5 mm	1.4 mm	2.4 g
		20 dirams	18.5 mm	1.4 mm	2.7 g
		25 diram	19 mm	1.4 mm	2.76 g	Brass
		50 diram	21 mm	1.45 mm	3.6 g
		SM 1	24 mm	1.6 mm	5.2 g	See remark 2	Reeded and plain sections	Ismail Samani, "ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон", value,	Value and the Tajik 7-star crown, year of minting	2001
		SM 3	25.5 mm	1.8 mm	6.3 g		Lettered	Coat of arms, "ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон", value
		SM 5	26.5 mm	1.85 mm	7 g		Reeded and plain sections with a star	Abuabdullo Rudaki, "ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон", value, "Рӯдакӣ"3
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

Remarks

1. "ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон" = "Republic of Tajikistan"
2. Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1901–present, 31st ed. states that the composition for SM 1, SM 3, and SM 5 is cupronickel-zinc, while the Central Bank states cupronickel.
3. "Рӯдакӣ" = "Rudaki"

The Second Series
Image		Value	Technical parameters				Description			Date of minting
Reverse	Obverse		Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse
		1 diram	14.5 mm	1.3 mm	1.3 g	Brass-clad steel	Plain	Coat of arms, "ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон", year of minting	Value	2011
		2 diram	16 mm	1.4 mm	1.6 g
		5 diram	18 mm	1.5 mm	2 g	Copper-clad brass
		10 diram	20.5 mm	1.7 mm	3 g
		20 diram	23.5 mm	1.8 mm	4.5 g		Corrugated
		50 diram	26 mm	2 mm	5.5 g		reeded
		SM 1	27 mm	1.6 mm	5.2 g	Cupronickel-clad steel
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

Third series (2018)

A third series of somoni coins was issued in 2018 in denominations of SM 1, SM 3 and SM 5.

Coins of the third series (2018)[4]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	minting	issue	withdrawal	lapse
	SM 1	24.5 mm	5.8 g	Nickel-brass	Reeded	Country name, Mirzo Tursunzoda	Value and the Tajik 7-star crown, year of minting	2018	20 June 2018[5]	Current
	SM 3	25.5 mm	6.3 g		Plain with lettered inscription "СЕ СОМОНӢ"	Country name, Shirinsho Shotemur
	SM 5	26.5 mm	7.0 g		Reeded	Country name, Sadriddin Aynii
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

Banknotes

Banknotes of 1, 5, 20, and 50 dirams, SM 1, SM 5, SM 10, SM 20, SM 50, and SM 100 were printed in 1999 and issued in 2000. Along with a SM 3 note in 2010, inflationary pressure since the introduction of the somoni resulted in the issuing of SM 200 and SM 500 somoni notes that year. The SM 5, SM 10, SM 20, SM 50, and SM 100 somoni notes were reissued in 2013, bearing the year 1999. In 2021, the National Bank of Tajikistan issued a SM 100 banknote, similar to the original issue, but now featuring an image of the Navruz Palace on the back side of the note, replacing the image of the Presidential Palace on the previous issues of the denomination.

The Current Series [2]
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main Colour	Description			Date of
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	Watermark	printing	issue
		1 diram	100 × 60 mm	Brown	Sadriddin Ayni Theatre and Opera House	Pamir Mountains	Two mountains over rectangle	1999	2000
		5 dirams		Blue	Arbob Cultural Palace	Shrine of Mirzo Tursunzoda
		20 dirams		Green	Meetings Hall of the National Bank of Tajikistan	Mountain road
		50 dirams		Purple	Ismoili Somoni	Mountain valley
		SM 1	141 × 65 mm	Green	Mirzo Tursunzoda	National Bank of Tajikistan	Portrait
		SM 3		Violet	Shirinsho Shotemur	Majlisi Oli		2010	2010
		SM 5	144 × 65 mm	Blue	Sadriddin Ayni	Shrine of Abuabdullo Rudaki		1999	2000 2010 2013 2017 2018
		SM 10	147 × 65 mm	Red	Mir Said Alii Hamadoni	Tomb of Mir Said Alii Hamadoni
		SM 20	150 × 65 mm	Yellow-brown	Abuali ibn Sino	Hissar Castle
		SM 50	153 × 65 mm	Blue	Bobojon Gafurov	Chaikhana (teahouse) Sino
		SM 100	156 × 65 mm	Brown	Ismoili Somoni	Presidential Palace
		SM 200	159 x 68 mm	Brown and Yellow	Nusratullo Maksum	National Library building in Dushanbe		2010	2010 2018
		SM 500	162 x 71 mm	Purple and Gray	Abuabdullo Rudaki	Palace of Nations in Dushanbe
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixel per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.