The Color of Pul

In Azərbaycani, "money" is translated as, appropriately enough, "pul."  The unit of currency is the "manat" (AZN).  As of the date of this post, 1 manat = approx. 1.27 USD.  100 qəpik = 1 manat (reminder; "q" sounds like a "g" and "ə" sounds like the "a" in "cat.").



Consumer Basket 

Item	Approximate Cost (in USD)
Basic Foodstuffs
Water	65 cents / 2L bottle
Milk	90 cents / L
Eggs	$3 / dozen
Flour	50 cents / kilo
Beef	$10.30 / kilo
Lamb	$13 / kilo
Pizza (7")	$6.50
Oatmeal	$1.95 / 15 oz.
Döner (like a gyro)	$1.30
Bread	40 cents / loaf
Coke	65 cents / bottle
Average Monthly Salary
Baku (excl. ex-pats)	$615
In the Regions	$270
Services and Utilities
Utilities (Gas, Electricity, Water)	$70 / month
Haircut	$3.60 for men's cut
Basic Internet (DSL)	$26 / mo.
Satellite TV	$130 for the satellite dish
Transportation
Taxi from Baku to Sumqayit (approx. 20 mi)	$10
Gas	75 cents / L
Miscellaneous
Movie ticket (Int'l release)	$11
Cigarettes	90 cents per pack
University Tuition	$1300 per year

The bills I've seen are the 50, 20, 10, 5, and 1 manat bills.   Coins come in 50, 20, 10, 5, 3, and 1 qəpik.

NB: This is not my money, which was borrowed for the purpose of taking pictures for this blog. Our PCT disbursements are a fraction of this.

The back of all these bills have a map of Azərbaycan and a small map of Europe, representing Azərbaycan's integration into Europe, along with various different decorative elements depending on the denomination of the bill.

The front of the 1 ("bir") manat bill reflects images of some national instruments of Azərbaycan: the Tar, Kamança, and Daf, against a background of ancient carpet patterns.

The back of the 1 manat bill show various national ornaments.  And you can't see it, but the watermark is a bud of fire.

The front of the 5 ("beş") manat bill reflects images of Azərbaycani literary figures, part of the state anthem in the lower right-hand corner, and a stack of ancient books. 

The back of the 5 manat bill reflects the development written language in Azərbaycan: Qobustan rock hieroglyphs, Orhon-Yenisei script alphabet, and contemporary Azərbaycani writing.  The watermark is an open book and a quill pen.

The front of the 10 ("on") manat bill shows Old Baku, Shirvanshah's Palace, and Maiden Tower against a background of the Inner City (Içeri Şeher) wall.

The back of the 10 manat bill reflects some typical Azərbaycani carpet patterns.  The watermark is Maiden Tower.

The front of the 20 ("iyirmi") manat bill reflects symbols of power in the form of a traditional Azərbaycani military sword, shield, and helmet.

The back of the 20 manat bill reflects a symbol for peace.

The front of the 50 ("əlli") manat bill show symbols of the Azərbaycan's future: young people, stairs symbolizing progress, the sun, and chemical and mathematical symbols, representing modern science.

The back of the 50 manat bill shows more ornamental designs from ancient Azərbaycani carpets.

The most common coins I've used are the 50, 20, and 10 qəpik coins.

The back of the 20 qəpik coin depicts geometric symbols and a spiral staircase, representing architecture and mathematics.

The subjects of these images are not objects of copyright according to "The Law of Azerbaijan Republic On Copyright and Neighboring Right." No.: 115-1Q (June 5, 1996).