ILS

What Is the ILS?

ILS is the international three-letter abbreviation for the Israeli new shekel, the currency of Israel since 1986. The new shekel replaced the hyper-inflated original shekel at a ratio of 1000 to 1. At the time, it was identified by the abbreviation NIS to distinguish it from the old shekel.

As of August 26, 2020, the new shekel is valued at $0.31.

Understanding the ILS

The ILS is the nation of Israel’s fourth currency. The original currency after the country was founded in 1948 was the Palestine Pound, which became the Israel Pound in 1952. Both were pegged to the British pound (GBP) initially, but the Israeli pound ended its relationship to British sterling in 1954.

Many Israelis pushed for a currency with a Hebrew name, but it took until 1980 for the country to drop its pound note and introduce the first shekel (now known as the old shekel). The word "shekel" dates to biblical times and may once have been a measure of grain.

From its inception, the old shekel was a weak currency as a result of the country’s failing state-based economy of the period. A full-blown financial crisis in the 1980s led to massive inflation. Eventually, the government stabilized the economy and introduced free-market reforms, along with the new shekel in 1986. Since then, the ILS has been one of the more stable currencies in the world. It became freely convertible in 2003 and began trading via derivatives in 2006 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).

Special Considerations

Symbols on ILS Coins

The new shekel is made up of 100 agorot. Eight coins are minted; the denominations are one, five, and 10 agorot; and a 1/2, one, two, five, and 10 sheqalim. The coins have no images of people. Instead, they feature various Israeli national symbols such as the menorah, the lily, and the lyre.

Hebrew Poets Honored on Bills

The original one-shekel banknote carried an image of the medieval Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides; the ten-shekel note portrayed former prime minister Golda Meir. The current bills, which began circulating in 2014, are minted in four denominations, all of which portray Israeli poets on the obverse: Rachel Bluwstein on the 20-shekel note; Shaul Tchernichovsky on the 50-shekel note; Leah Goldberg on the 100-shekel note; and Nathan Alterman on the 200-shekel note. Each of the bills also includes micro-printed poetry by the featured author on both sides.

The current series was originally planned to include images of the deceased Israeli leaders Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin. But after Begin’s family rejected the plan, the series was changed to honor only poets.

Disclaimer

Investopedia does not provide tax, investment, or financial services and advice. The information is presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any specific investor and might not be suitable for all investors. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.