The story of the manat
Azerbaijan has issued the manat in two great eras. The first manat arrived with independence in 1992. On 1 January 2006 it was redenominated 5000 to 1, and the notes we carry today were born.
New manat
In circulationRedenominated 5000:1 and redrawn by Robert Kalina. The series in circulation right now.
Coins
In circulationSix qəpik coins of the current manat entered circulation in 2006. 100 qəpik = 1 manat. Each coin shares a common obverse showing the map of Azerbaijan and "Azərbaycan Respublikası"; the reverse features a distinct national motif.
Renewed banknotes (2021–2026)
RenewedIn circulationBetween 2021 and 2026 the Central Bank of Azerbaijan rolled out upgraded versions of the existing manat notes — keeping each denomination's theme while renewing the security features (3D holographic foil, Spark Live colour-shift, dynamic security threads, watermarks, microtext, a tactile feature) and modernising the artwork. The 1, 5 and 50 manat came first (2021), then the 20 (Feb 2022) and 10 (Jun 2022), with the higher notes adopting a vertical reverse; the series later grew with a redesigned 100 manat (2026).
First manat
WithdrawnBorn with independence, battered by inflation. Withdrawn from circulation on 1 January 2006.
First-manat coins
Denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 qəpik were issued in 1992–1993; early issues were struck in brass and cupronickel, later issues in aluminium. They were rarely encountered in everyday circulation.
