Wanderlust World Wanderlust World There is no currency called “quinhentos mil cruzeiros.” “Quinhentos mil” means “five hundred thousand” in Portuguese. Brazil’s current currency is the Brazilian real (BRL), introduced in 1994.
Brazil has used several currencies named “cruzeiro” (1942–1986, 1990–1993), but they were redenominated multiple times due to hyperinflation. A “500,000 cruzeiros” note may have existed briefly in the early 1990s, but it is long obsolete and has no legal tender value.
Obsolete cruzeiros cannot be converted to USD. If you have old banknotes, they may have numismatic (collector) value only. Consult a currency dealer or numismatist.