The design of the 1993 bank notes with the value from 10 to 500 drams was co-authored by two members of the Armenian Artists’ Union, Hrachya Aslanyan and Ashot Manukyan. The 5000-dram bank note was designed by Ashot Manukyan in 1995. All bank notes were printed by German company GIESECKE&DEVRIENT GmbH.

50-dram bank notes of 1993 featuring the History Museum in Yerevan and parliament building

The second edition of 50- and 100-dram bank notes dates to 1998. Next year, bank notes with the value of 500, 1000, 5000 and 20000 drams were issued. In 2003, a bank notes with the value of 10000 drams was put into circulation.

500-dram bank note featuring architect Alexander Tamanyan and government building

The bank notes of the second edition differ from the previous ones. They show famous Armenian people and images linked to their activity. The author of the design is Ashot Manukyan.

1000-dram bank note featuring Armenian writer Yeghishe Charents and a carriage with an old building in Yerevan at the background

20000-dram bank note featuring artist Martiros Saryan and a fragment of ‘Armenia’ scenery

The bank notes with the value of 1000, 5000, 10000 and 20000 were later re-printed, without any serious changes in the design, by British DE LA RUE CURRENCY, Dutch JOH. ENSCHEDE EN ZONEN, Austrian OeBS and German GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GmbH companies.

In 2001, when Armenia was celebrating the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity as state religion, the Central Bank issued a bank note with the value of 50000 drams.

The bank note features Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Mount Ararat, Gregory the Illuminator, King Trdat and an old khachkar (cross-stone). It was designed by artist Ruben Arutchyan and printed by GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GmbH.

In 2009, a bank note with the value of 100 000 drams was issued. It featured King Abgar V, under whose rule Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion. The author of the design is Harutyun Samuelyan. The bank note was printed by DE LA RUE CURRENCY.

100000-dram bank note featuring King Abgar V

All bank notes have high level of protection.

The material was prepared in cooperation with Gevorg Mughalyan, the numismatist of the Central Bank of Armenia.