Peru Official Currency, Credit Cards and How to Detect Fake Bills

NATIONAL CURRENCY “NUEVO SOL”

• Currently, coins of 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents are circulating, as are 1, 2, and 5 nuevos soles, and bills of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Nuevos Soles.

FOREIGN CURRENCY AND TRAVELER CHECKS

The US dollar is the most accepted foreign currency in Cusco. Changing any currency other than the Euro is challenging outside Lima.

All banks’ branches exchange US dollars and traveler’s checks. The dollar’s exchange rate may vary daily. Money changers are located around the Plaza de Armas and in the first two blocks of Avenida El Sol.

If you have any doubts about the value they are informing you about, make your inquiry at a nearby location (or visit the official Sunat Exchange Rate at http://www.sunat.gob.pe/cl-at-ittipcam/tcS01Alias); the amount must match.

We recommend you bring lower-value tickets, as sellers, shops, and taxis often do not return them.

CREDIT CARDS

Hotels, prestigious restaurants, and numerous shops accept credit card payments. The main ones are Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners, and Cirrus.

To withdraw cash with a Visa Card, contact the credit card bank. Don’t hesitate to contact Banco Santander Central Hispano or Wiese Sudameris for MasterCard withdrawals. In the case of American Express in Lima Tours, Portal de Harinas 177, Plaza de Armas.

HOW TO DETECT FALSE BILLS

NUEVOS SOLES

1. Texture. Touch the bill. The original statements are made of cotton, and their characteristic texture does not indicate that they are false.
2. Watermark.
3. Reproduce three things: a face, the value in bill numbers, and a personalized silhouette.
4. Number. In the upper left, an insufficient number appears. On the back is the missing part. By candlelight, these parts complement each other.
5. Color change. By tilting them slightly, a gradual shift in green color is noticeable.

DOLLARS

1. Texture. If the dollar is false, you will notice a lower quality.
2. Portrait. In the original notes, the characters’ features are carefully defined.
3. Watermark. The bill clearly shows the character’s face. There should be no fine lines around the head, and the watermark should be visible on both sides of the nose.
4. Relief. Like the text “The United States of America,” the value presents a notorious replacement for the touch.