---
title: "What is on Brazil's banknotes?"
description: "The Brazilian real: who is on each denomination, what was withdrawn and why, what the notes are printed on, and whether the sizes differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/banknote/brazil/
site: "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

- [Brazil](https://atoneplace.net/country/brazil/)
- [The flag of Brazil](https://atoneplace.net/flag/brazil/)
- [The money in United States](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-states/)
- [The money in Eurozone](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/eurozone/)
- [The money in United Kingdom](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-kingdom/)
- [The money in India](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/india/)
- [The money in Japan](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/japan/)
- [The money in Zimbabwe](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/zimbabwe/)
- [The money in Australia](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/australia/)
- [The money in Canada](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/canada/)
- [The money in China](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/china/)
- [The money in Switzerland](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/switzerland/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)