Uruguay adopted the peso uruguayo in 1993 as a redenomination of the nuevo peso at a rate of 1,000 to 1, itself a currency that had replaced the original peso in 1975 to escape chronic inflation. This coin entered circulation during a period of relative monetary stability, though the broader regional crisis of 2001–2002 — which devastated Argentina and sent shockwaves through Uruguay's dollarized banking sector — meant the purchasing power of small-denomination coins eroded sharply before the series ended.
Uruguay adopted the peso uruguayo in 1993 as a redenomination of the nuevo peso at a rate of 1,000 to 1, itself a currency that had replaced the original peso in 1975 to escape chronic inflation. This coin entered circulation during a period of relative monetary stability, though the broader regional crisis of 2001–2002 — which devastated Argentina and sent shockwaves through Uruguay's dollarized banking sector — meant the purchasing power of small-denomination coins eroded sharply before the series ended.