Code MZN Symbol MT | 1/100 centavo User(s) Mozambique | |
Banknotes 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 meticais
rarely used 1000 meticais Coins 50 centavos, 1, 2, 5, 10 meticais
obsolete: 1, 5, 10, 20 centavos | ||
The metical (plural: meticais) is the currency of Mozambique, abbreviated with the symbol MZN or MT. It is nominally divided into 100 centavos. The name metical comes from Arabic مثقال (mithqāl), a unit of weight and an alternative name for the gold dinar coin that was used throughout much of Africa until the 19th century.
Contents
First metical (MZM)
The metical (MZM) replaced the escudo at par on 16 June 1980. It was divided into 100 centavos. The metical underwent severe inflation. After the revaluation of the Romanian leu, the metical briefly became the least valued currency unit, at a value of about 24,500 meticais per USD, until the Zimbabwean dollar took the title in late August 2005.
Second metical (MZN)
On July 1, 2006, Mozambique redenominated the metical at a rate of 1000:1. The new ISO 4217 code is MZN. New coins and banknotes were introduced on July 1, 2006, and the transitional period during which both old and new meticais could be used lasted until December 31, 2006. During the conversion, the new currency was locally abbreviated as MTn, but has since largely returned to MT.
Old meticais were redeemed by the Bank of Mozambique for a period of six years, until December 31, 2012.
First metical
In 1980, coins were introduced in denominations of 50 centavos, 1, 2½, 5, 10 and 20 meticais. The 50 centavos, 2½ and 5 meticais were minted in aluminium, with the 1 metical in brass and the 10 and 20 meticais in cupro-nickel. In 1986, aluminium 1, 10, 20 and 50 meticais were introduced. A new coinage issued in 1994 was composed of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 meticais, with the lower four denominations in brass clad steel and the higher denominations in nickel clad steel. 5000 meticais coins were introduced in 1998, followed by 10,000 meticais in 2003.
Second metical
From July 1, 2006, coins were issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 centavos and 1, 2, 5, 10 meticais. [2]