At One Place

What is on the money in Brazil?

The money in Brazil
Brazilian real (BRL, R$)
7 denominations in issue · Paper

The front of every note carries an allegorical bust of the Republic rather than a person, and the reverse a native animal — which makes the currency function as a small field guide. The real was introduced in 1994 to end hyperinflation that had run at over 2,000 per cent a year, and the plan worked so well that the currency's name is used in Brazil as shorthand for the whole stabilisation.

Who and what is on each note

Note Who or what is on it
R$2 The Republic; a hawksbill turtle on the reverse
R$5 The Republic; a great egret
R$10 The Republic; a scarlet macaw
R$20 The Republic; a golden lion tamarin
R$50 The Republic; a jaguar
R$100 The Republic; a grouper
R$200 The Republic; a maned wolf

The practical facts

Currency
Brazilian real — ISO code BRL, symbol R$
Printed on
Paper
Survives a wash?
Not reliably. Paper notes disintegrate when soaked.
Can a blind person tell them apart?
Yes — the denominations differ in size, which is the simplest and most reliable tactile cue there is.
Highest note in issue
R$200 — The Republic; a maned wolf

This page describes the notes rather than showing them. Reproducing a banknote image is restricted in most jurisdictions, and the restrictions differ between them.

Common questions

Who is on the money in Brazil?
R$2: The Republic; a hawksbill turtle on the reverse. R$5: The Republic; a great egret. R$10: The Republic; a scarlet macaw. R$20: The Republic; a golden lion tamarin. R$50: The Republic; a jaguar. R$100: The Republic; a grouper. R$200: The Republic; a maned wolf.
Are Brazil's banknotes polymer or paper?
Paper.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Official vendor product documentation — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked