Israeli New Shekel (ILS) Profile

Currency name
Currency code
Currency symbol

Subunit
1/100, agora (plural: agorot).
Coins freq used
₪ ½,₪2, ₪5, ₪10, 10 agorot
Coins rarely used
 
Banknotes freq used
₪20, ₪50, ₪100, ₪200
Banknotes rarely used
 
Central bank
Bank of Israel (bankisrael.gov.il)
Currency users

Israel, also used in Palestinian territories

Currency user list

Israeli new shekel users

The Israeli new shekel is the currency of Israel (officially the State of Israel) which is a country in the Middle East Asia. The Israeli new shekel has also been used in Palestinian territories alongside the Jordanian dinar (JOD, in the West Bank area) and the Egyptian pound (EGP, in the Gaza strip).

On May 14, 1948, Israel gained independence from the British Mandate of Palestine which administered the territory now known as Israel, Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza during the years between 1920 and 1948.

Israeli new shekel history

The Israeli new shekel was introduced on January 1, 1986, and replaced the Old Israeli shekel at a rate of 1 Israeli New shekel (ILS) = 1000 Old Israeli shekel.

Israel currency history (from 1844 to present)
Currency name Used in Israel between Subunits Notes
Israeli new shekel January 1, 1986 - present 1/100, agora 1. The Israeli new shekel (ILS) has been a freely convertible currency since January 1, 2003.
2. Israel has no mint so the coins and banknotes of the Israeli new shekel are produced outside of Israel.
Israeli old shekel February 24, 1980 - December 1985 1/100, new agora Israeli old shekel was replaced by the Israeli new shekel (ILS) at a rate of 1 new shekel (ILS) = 1000 old shekel.
Israeli lira (or Israel pound) August 1948 - February 23, 1980 1/100, agora (1960–1980)
1/1000, pruta (1948–1960)
The Israeli lira (or Israel pound) was replaced by the Israeli old shekel at a rate of 1 shekel = 10 lira.
Palestine pound 1927 - August 1948 1/1000, Mill 1. The Palestine pound was issued by the British Mandate of Palestine, equivalent to the British pound. It was replaced by the Israeli lira (or Israel pound).
2. The British Mandate of Palestine administered the territory now known as Israel, Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza before May 15, 1948.
3. The Palestine pound was used in Israel as legal tender between 1948 and 1952 also.
Ottoman lira 1844 - 1927 1/5, mecidiye
1/100, kuruş
1/4000, para
1. The Ottoman lira was introduced by the Ottoman Empire of which Palestine was used to be an integral part until 1918.
2. The Egyptian pound also circulated alongside the Ottoman lira from 1920 until 1927.