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; 1, 2, and 5 new soles and bills of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Nuevos Soles.

FOREIGN CURRENCY AND TRAVELER CHECKS

The US dollar is the foreign currency with the highest acceptability in the city of Cusco. Any other money except the Euro will be difficult to change outside Lima.

All branches of the banks exchange US dollars and traveler’s checks. The dollar exchange rate may vary day by day. The 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, make your inquiry in a neighboring place (Or visit the official Sunat Exchange Rate 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 are often not returned.

CREDIT CARDS

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

To withdraw cash with VISA Card, contact the Credit Bank; For Mastercard withdrawals, don’t hesitate to contact Banco Santander Central Hispano or Wiese Sudameris. 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 do make of cotton. It has a characteristic texture that does not have false accounts.
2. Watermark.
3. Reproduce three things: face, the value in bill numbers, and a personalized silhouette.
4. Number. In the upper left, an insufficient number appears to appear. 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 do carefully defined.
3. Watermark. Look at the clear image of the face of the character on the bill. There should be no fine lines around the head. 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.