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Money, one of the earliest and most significant inventions
of civilization, is essential to the development of trade. Without it there is
only barter, a relationship between two people each of whom has something which
the other wants
Money (which everybody wants) provides an intermediary
substance, enabling the seller to choose when and where he wishes to become a
buyer
Since the beginning of the circulation of silver and gold coins in
Egypt and until 1834 there was no specified monetary unit to serve as a basis
for the monetary system in Egypt, only a few of these coins were minted locally
The currency during the Tulunid period was the golden dinars and silver
dirhams which were very few. The copper coinage was not widely used during the
Tulunid age
The first type of Ottoman coins in Egypt were called
Khairia. The first golden coins that were coined in Egypt during that time was
under the reign of Sultan SelimI. The Ottoman coins continued to be used in the
time of Mohamed Ali, but later on they began to disappear for two reasons: the
first independence. The second, is the arrival of the French camping
In
1836 the Egyptian pounds were minted and put into circulation. Legal exchange
rates were fixed for important foreign currencies to satisfy the requirements as
well as foreign trade, which became acceptable in the settlement of internal
transactions by force of Law
Fluctuations in the value of silver in
addition to following the gold standard by most of the countries trading with
Egypt, led to the adoption of the gold standard
During the presidency of
Gamal Abdel Nasser, the economy of Egypt was radically socialized. Beginning in
1961, foreign trade, banking, insurance, and most wholesale and industrial
establishments were nationalized. Those sectors which remained in private hands
were placed under heavy regulatory restraints
The currency of Egypt is
the pound, the Egyptian pound ( LE ) is divided into 100 piaster. Every banknote
has two faces, one is written in Arabic and usually has pictures of a well known
mosque in Egypt and the other face is in English and has pictures ancient
Egyptian figures and temples
Since the adoption of the structural
adjustment program, the pound has gone up and down, around and back again.
Here's a quick look at the highlights
Foreign Exchange Rates & Gold prices
|
Average exchange rate (L.E)
(transfers - buy ) |
Sept. 2004 |
Aug. 2005 |
Sept. 2005* |
|
US $ |
6.22 |
5.76 |
5.75 |
|
Euro |
7.60 |
7.08 |
7.09 |
|
Sterling Pound |
11.17 |
10.31 |
10.48 |
|
100 Yen |
5.66 |
5.20 |
5.21 |
|
Average prices of gold (L.E) |
Sept. 2004 |
Aug.
2005 |
Sept. 2005* |
|
Golden
Sterling Pound |
564.32 |
564.68 |
576.63 |
|
gram(21
kt) |
70.54 |
70.60 |
72.09 |
|
gram(18
kt) |
60.47 |
60.50 |
61.78 |
Most foreign currencies, cash or travelers cheque can
easily be changed in Egypt.
Exchange bureaus are found in larger cities but they mainly only deal in cash.
Visa and Mastercard are good for cash advances and together with American
Express, JCb cards and Euro card are accepted in a wide range of shops and
hotels .
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