Following many years of
rampant inflation, the
bolivian peso was replaced in 1987 by a new boliviano at a rate of one million to one (when 1 US dollar was worth 1.8/1.9 million pesos). At that time, 1 new boliviano was roughly equivalent to U.S. dollar.
Coins In 1988,
stainless-steel 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 centavos and 1 boliviano (dated 1987) coins were introduced, followed by stainless-steel 2 bolivianos in 1991. Copper-plated steel 10 centavos were introduced in 1997 and
bi-metallic 5 bolivianos in 2001. The 2 and 5 centavo coins are no longer in circulation. The 2 boliviano coin has been minted in two sizes, both of which remain legal tender. The smaller 2 boliviano coin is almost the same as the 1 boliviano coin, leading to potential confusion, although the 2 boliviano coins are
undecagonal whilst the 1 boliviano coins are round. All the coins in Bolivia have the value with the inscription "La union es la Fuerza" ("Union is strength" in Spanish) on the obverse. Older coins feature and the coat of arms of Bolivia with the inscription "Republica de Bolivia" (Republic of Bolivia) on the reverse, while newer ones feature the coat of arms with the inscription "Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia" (Plurinational state of Bolivia).
Banknotes In 1987, last peso boliviano banknotes and cheques de gerência were overprinted with denominations in centavos and bolivianos to produce provisional issues of 1, 5, 10 and 50 centavos, and 1, 5 and 10 bolivianos. Regular issues followed the same year in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 bolivianos. The 2 boliviano note was replaced by a coin in 1991, with the same happening to the 5 boliviano in 2001, although the Bolivian central bank still listed the 5 boliviano note as "in circulation" until 2013, when the 2 and 5 Bolivianos bills were officially out of circulation. The Bolivianos bills depict prominent historical figures: • The 10 Bolivianos bill has in the obverse to the painter
Cecilio Guzman and reverse an image of city of
Cochabamba. • The 20 Boliviano bill has in the obverse to the lawyer Pantaleon Dalence and in the reverse, an image of The Golden Colonial House of
Tarija. The 50 Boliviano bill has in the obverse to the painter Melchor Perez and when reversed the Tower of Church of the Society of Jesus in the city of
Potosi can be seen. • The 100 Boliviano bill has in the obverse of the great historian Gabriel Rene Moreno and the reverse one image of the Mayor Real and Papal University of Saint Francisco Xavier of Chuquisaca in the capital, the city of
Sucre. • The 200 Boliviano bill has to the obverse to the writer and former president of Bolivia,
Franz Tamayo and in the reverse an image of ruins of the Pre-Inca empire of Tihuanaco in the shores of Lake Titicaca in the state or department of
La Paz. In 2018, the
Central Bank of Bolivia (Banco Central de Bolivia) unveiled a new family of banknotes, and will be issued by order of denomination. The notes are the first to bear the formal name of Bolivia "Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia" (
Plurinational State of Bolivia), to reflect the multiculturalism of the country and all of its citizens. From 28 February to 2 March 2026, the
Central Bank of Bolivia suspended the
legal tender status of 10, 20 and 50-boliviano notes of the 2018 series with serial numbers ending with B, in response to the
2026 Bolivian Air Force Lockheed C-130 crash: the Central Bank published serial numbers of notes that were in the crash, and declared the affected notes worthless: ==Exchange rates==