Tanzania has four types of coins in everyday use:

• 50 shillings – gold-coloured coin
• 100 shillings – shows the first President of Tanzania and four running gazelles
• 200 shillings
• 500 shillings

Each coin has its own size, colour, and pictures. The number written on the coin shows its value.

Tanzania uses paper money called banknotes. Common denominations include:

• 500 shillings
• 1,000 shillings
• 2,000 shillings
• 5,000 shillings
• 10,000 shillings

You can tell one banknote from another by looking at the numbers and the pictures printed on them.

In Short Form

When we write money in short form, we use shs or sh for shillings and cts for cents.

For example:

• 500 shillings is written as shs 500
• 500 shillings and 50 cents is written as shs 500 50 cts

In Words

When writing in words, we say the number first, then the unit.

For example:

• shs 700 = seven hundred shillings
• shs 1200 70 cts = one thousand two hundred shillings and seventy cents

Cents are written with two digits. Even if the number is small, we always use two places. For example:

• 5 cents is written as 05 cts
• 50 cents is written as 50 cts

Key rule: 100 cents = 1 shilling

So if you have 150 cents, that is the same as 1 shilling and 50 cents (shs 1 50 cts).

Question: Write shs 75400 10 cts in words.

Answer: Seventy-five thousand four hundred shillings and ten cents.

When you go to the market in Morogoro or Dar es Salaam to buy vegetables, the seller will tell you the price in shillings. If you have a 1,000-shilling note and the vegetables cost 650 shillings, you need to recognise that you will receive 350 shillings back as change. This skill helps you shop wisely and count your money correctly.