Indonesian currency is called the rupiah (IDR). In the 1980s and 1990s it was redenominated due to high inflation. The Indonesian rupiah's named is a derivative of the Sanskrit word for silver, although these rupiah are all made of paper. There are seven denominations ranging from 1,000 to 100,000 rupiah. There are five Indonesian rupiah coins, most of them are made of aluminum or an aluminum allow which gives them a dull sound and light feel. The highest coin denomination goes up to 1000 rupiah. Having a banknote and coin of the same denomination as Indonesia has is rare.
The latest Indonesian currency set consist of the denominations 1,000 to 100,000 and each features a hero from Indonesia’s past along with dancers that represent the culture. The light green 1,000 rupiah note features Tjut Meutia, Banda Neira and the Tifa dance. The gray 2,000 note has an image of Mohammad Husni Thamrin, Sianok Canyon and the Piring dance. The orange 5,000 Indonesian banknote has Idham Chalid, Mount Bromo and the Gambyong dance. The 10,000 rupiah note is light purple and features Frans Kaisiepo, Wakatobi National Park and the Pakarena dance. The dark green 20,000 banknote has Sam Ratulangi, the Derawan Islands and the Gong dance as its theme. The 50,000 bill features Djuandaa Kartawidjaja, Komodi National Park and the Legong dance. Lastly, the pink 100,000 note has Sujarno and Mohammad Hatta with the Raja Ampat Ilands and the Topenf Betawi dance.
The Rupiah have raised lines on both edges of the front of the banknote. These lines serve as denomination indicators for the visually impaired and provide a balanced thickness to the banknote for east stacking. The lowest denomination contains 7 pairs of stripes on both edges. The number of pairs go down to 1 pair in the highest denomination- the 100,000. It is interesting to feel these notes and see if you can differentiate the denominations by touch.
