The Armenian dram, which means “money”, is the official currency of Armenia. The earliest Armenian coins were copper coins struck starting from the 3rd century BC by Armenian kings of the Yervandian dynasty. Most of the coins depict the profile of King Arsames.
During the reign of King Tigranes II the Great in the Artaxiad kingdom, copper and silver coins were minted, featuring the king himself on the obverse, wearing an Armenian tiara. The reverse displays the goddess Tyche.
At the end of the 11th century, the state of Cilicia was established, minting a good number of coins called “dram”. These coins were decorated with Armenian, European, and Oriental elements, depicting kings and queens, religious symbols, and cultural motifs.
Centuries later, as Armenia gained independence from the Soviet Union, the dram became a tangible link between the modern nation and its historical roots. The first series of dram coins issued by the Central Bank of Armenia in 1994 incorporated the Armenian coat of arms on their obverse design.
In subsequent years, the dram evolved with the introduction of new coin series. The 2003 series embraced bi-metallic coins. In 2018, with new coins featuring iconic figures and landmarks.
