What is a cruzeiro?

A cruzeiro was the official Brazilian currency unit from 1942 until 1986 when the Cruzado succeeded it. It was divided into 100 centavos. The singular and the plural forms of the name are the same, "cruzeiro".

The cruzeiro replaced the Brazilian real at a rate of 1 Cruzeiro = 1,000 réis. In turn, the cruzeiro was replaced by the cruzado at a rate of 1 Cruzado = 1000 Cruzeiros.

*Inflation rates*

Brazil experienced very high inflation rates during the period when the cruzeiro was the currency. The following table shows the average annual inflation rates during different periods:

| Period | Inflation Rate |

|------------------ |--------------- |

| 1942–1960 | 18.8% |

| 1960–1979 | 29.2% |

| 1980–1986 | 218% |

| 1986–1990 | 908.9% |

*Cruzeiros in circulation

1942 to 1990 Brazil had 17 different series of cruzeiros in circulation.

Cruzeiro Coins

- 10c Cruzeiros

- 20c Cruzeiros

- 50c Cruzeiros

- 1 Cruzeiros (1986-1988)

- 5 Cruzeiros (1986-1988)

- 10 Cruzeiros (1986-1988)

- 50 Cruzeiros (1990)

- 100 Cruzeiros (1990)

- 500 Cruzeiros (1990)

- 1.000 Cruzeiros (1990)

Cruzeiro Bills

First Cruzeiros series (1942-1970)

- 10 Cruzeiros

- 20 Cruzeiros

- 50 Cruzeiros

- 100 Cruzeiros

- 200 Cruzeiros

- 500 Cruzeiros

- 1.000 Cruzeiros

- 5.000 Cruzeiros

Second Cruzeiros series (1970-1979)

- 5 Cruzeiros

- 10 Cruzeiros

- 20 Cruzeiros

- 50 Cruzeiros

- 100 Cruzeiros

- 200 Cruzeiros

- 500 Cruzeiros

- 1.000 Cruzeiros

Third Cruzeiros series (1980-1986)

- 10 Cruzeiros

- 50 Cruzeiros

- 100 Cruzeiros

- 200 Cruzeiros

- 500 Cruzeiros

- 1.000 Cruzeiros

- 5.000 Cruzeiros

- 10.000 Cruzeiros

- 20.000 Cruzeiros

- 50.000 Cruzeiros

- 100.000 Cruzeiros

Fourth Cruzeiros series (1986-1989)

- 10 Cruzeiros

- 50 Cruzeiros

- 100 Cruzeiros

- 500 Cruzeiros

- 1.000 Cruzeiros

- 5.000 Cruzeiros

- 10.000 Cruzeiros

- 20.000 Cruzeiros

- 50.000 Cruzeiros

- 100.000 Cruzeiros