5000 Dram

Thomas De La Rue has printed Armenian banknotes since the dram's introduction in the early 1990s, making this a long-standing commercial relationship rather than a one-off contract. The 2012 series updated security specifications across the higher denominations, with the holographic strip on this note replacing the simpler foil patch used on earlier issues of the same face value.

Armenia's dram was introduced in November 1993, replacing the Soviet ruble at a time when the country was simultaneously managing an energy blockade and an active conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The 5000 dram denomination has consistently sat near the top of the circulating range, seeing heavy ATM use rather than everyday retail handling — which affects the wear patterns collectors typically encounter.