The shilling (
Swahili: ''shilingi''; abbreviation: TSh;
code
In communications and information processing, code is a system of rules to convert information—such as a letter, word, sound, image, or gesture—into another form, sometimes shortened or secret, for communication through a communicati ...
: TZS) is the
currency
A currency is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins. A more general definition is that a currency is a ''system of money'' in common use within a specific envi ...
of
Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
. It is subdivided into 100 ''cents'' (''senti'' in Swahili).
The Tanzanian shilling replaced the
East African shilling
The East African shilling was the Pound sterling, sterling unit of account in British Empire, British-controlled areas of East Africa from 1921 until 1969. It was issued by the East African Currency Board. It is also the proposed name for a com ...
on 14 June 1966 at par.
Notation
Prices in the Tanzanian shilling are written in the form of , where x is the amount above 1 shilling, while y is the amount in cents. An
equals sign
The equals sign (British English) or equal sign (American English), also known as the equality sign, is the mathematical symbol , which is used to indicate equality. In an equation it is placed between two expressions that have the same valu ...
or
hyphen
The hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word. The use of hyphens is called hyphenation.
The hyphen is sometimes confused with dashes (en dash , em dash and others), which are wider, or with t ...
represents zero amount. For example, 50 cents is written as "" and 100 shillings as "" or "100/-". Sometimes the abbreviation ''TSh'' is prefixed for distinction. If the amount is written using words as well as numerals, only the prefix is used (e.g. TSh 10 million).
This pattern was modelled on
sterling's
pre-decimal notation, in which amounts were written in some combination of pounds (£), shillings (s), and pence (d, for
denarius
The ''denarius'' (; : ''dēnāriī'', ) was the standard Ancient Rome, Roman silver coin from its introduction in the Second Punic War to the reign of Gordian III (AD 238–244), when it was gradually replaced by the ''antoninianus''. It cont ...
). In that notation, amounts under a pound were notated only in shillings and pence.
Coins

In 1966, coins were introduced in denominations of , , and and , with the struck in
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
, the in
nickel-brass (copper-nickel-zinc) and the -/50 and 1/= in
cupro-nickel
Cupronickel or copper–nickel (CuNi) is an alloy of copper with nickel, usually along with small quantities of other metals added for strength, such as iron and manganese. The copper content typically varies from 60 to 90 percent. ( Monel is a ...
. Cupro-nickel coins were introduced in 1972, followed by scalloped, nickel-brass in 1977. This First Series coins set, in circulation from 1966 up to 1984, was designed by
Christopher Ironside OBE.
In 1987,
nickel-plated steel replaced cupro-nickel in the and , and cupro-nickel and coins were introduced, with the decagonal in shape. In 1990, nickel-clad-steel , and were introduced, followed by
brass-plated steel coins for in 1993, in 1996 and copper-nickel-zinc in 1998.
Coins currently in circulation are the , , , and . The coin was issued on 8 September 2014.
Banknotes
On 14 June 1966, the Benki Kuu Ya Tanzania (
Bank of Tanzania) introduced notes for , , and . The note was replaced by a coin in 1972. notes were introduced in 1985, followed by in 1986, in 1989 and in 1990. The , , and notes were replaced by coins in 1987, 1990, 1996 and 1994, respectively. and notes were introduced in 1995, followed by 2,000/= in 2003. A new series of notes came out in 2011. These new notes include many security features that prevent counterfeiting.
''The Citizen''. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
Banknotes in circulation today are , , , and
Currently in Circulation
See also
* Economy of Tanzania
* Ugandan shilling
The shilling (; abbreviation: USh; ISO code: UGX) is the currency of Uganda. Officially divided into cents until 2013, due to substantial inflation the shilling now has no subdivision.
Notation
Prices in the Ugandan shilling are written i ...
* Kenyan shilling
The shilling (; abbreviation: KSh; ISO 4217, ISO code: KES) is the currency of Kenya. It is divided into 100 cents. The Central Bank of Kenya Act cap 491, mandated the printing and minting of the Kenyan shilling currency.
Notation
Prices in ...
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
External links
Bank of Tanzania page on circulating banknotes
{{Portal bar, Africa, Money, Numismatics, Tanzania
Circulating currencies
Currencies of Tanzania
Currencies introduced in 1966
Shillings
Currencies of Africa