Click on the Map for a larger view

Christopher Columbus landed at Cape Honduras in 1502 and claimed Central America for Spain. Honduras was made part of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala within the Vice-Royalty of New Spain in 1539 and remained part of the Captaincy-General until gaining its independence on September 21, 1821. Guatemala was part of Mexico from 1821 until 1823 when it became a constituent state of the Central American Federation. Honduras was originally divided into the Provinces of Comayagua and Tegucigalpa, which were joined to create Honduras on September 18, 1824. Honduras became a separate country on October 26, 1838.

Spanish Escudo (XESE) silver coins were used in Honduras while it was part of the Vice-Royalty of New Spain. Some crudely stuck 8 reales coins were minted in Tegucigalpa in 1813. The Central American Escudo/Peso (XCAE) was used while El Salvador was part of the Central American Federation. The Escudo was divisible into 2 Pesos or 16 Reales. Some coins were minted for the Federation in Tegucigalpa between 1830 and 1832. After gaining its independence, Honduras issued the Peso de Plata (HNP), at par with the Central American Peso, later linking the Peso to the French Franc in 1870 with 1 Peso equal to 5 French Francs. The first Honduran coins were minted in 1832. Honduras introduced decimalization in 1881 with 1 Peso = 100 Centavos. In 1918, the exchange rate was adjusted to 2 Pesos to the US Dollar. The Lempira (HNL) was chosen as the name for the new currency (Morazon had also been considered) by Decree 102 on April 3, 1926. The Lempira replaced the Peso de Plata at par with 1 US Dollar equal to 2 Lempiras. Lempira coins were introduced in 1931.

The Lempira and Peso are divisible into 100 Centavos. Several private banks issued banknotes. The Banco Central de Honduras was founded on February 3, 1950, and on July 1, 1950, the Banco Central de Honduras took over the right of banknote issue from the Banco de Honduras and the Banco Atlantida.

Here is a 2 Lempiras note dated 2003. The note is purple on multicolored underprint. The obverse fewtures Marco Aurelio Soto (who was President of Honduras from August 27, 1876 until October 19, 1883) to the right and the Bank coat of arms to the left. The reverse depicts the Port of Amapala (a municipality in the Honduran department of Valle formed by El Tigre Island).

• Krause# Pick-80A

This is a 2 Lempiras note dated 2004. The note is purple on multicolored underprint. The obverse fewtures Marco Aurelio Soto (was a reforming President and had a great impact on Honduras) to the right and the Bank coat of arms to the left. The reverse depicts the Port of Amapala (Amapala long served as the main Honduran port in the Pacific Ocean).

• Krause# Pick-80A

Here is a 2003 dated 1 Limpira note. The note is dark red on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Lempira on the right, a 16th century leader of the Lenca peoples of Central America, who led local resistance against the Spanish conquistadores. To the left of the obverse is the bank coat of arms. The reverse depicts The ruins of Copan, a major Maya kingdom of the Classic era (5th through 9th Centuries).

• Krause# Pick-84

Here is a 5 Lempiras note dated 2004. The note is black on multicolored underprint. The obevrse features the bank coat of arms to the left and General Jose Francisco Morazan Quezada on the right. Morazan was a Central American statesman, lawyer, orator, and military general who was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in 1792. The reverse depicts a scene from the Battle of Trinidad, a major military vicotry for General Morazan..

• Krause# Pick-85

Here is a 2003 dated 1 Limpira note. The note is dark red on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Lempira on the right. In 1537 the Spanish lured him out to talk, and a concealed Spanish sniper shot and killed him. To the left of the obverse is the bank coat of arms. The reverse depicts The ruins of Copan, anciently named Xukpi (Corner-Bundle), flourished from the 5th century AD to the early 9th century.

• Krause# Pick-Not yet listed

This is a 2 Lempiras note dated 2004. The note is purple on multicolored underprint. The obverse fewtures Marco Aurelio Soto (helped to establish 'Biblioteca Nacional de Honduras' or the national library of Honduras) to the right and the Bank coat of arms to the left. The reverse depicts the Port of Amapala (in the late 1800s, Amapala was gradually replaced by the port of San Lorenzo on the mainland as the main port)

• Krause# Pick-Not yet listed