According to a Croatian Times article dated 28.12.2009, the Croatian National Bank (HNB) will begin withdrawing from circulation 50-, 100-, and 200-kuna banknotes (Pick 31-33) dated 31. LISTOPADA 1993 (31.10.1993) effective 01.01.2010. The same denominations dated 2002 will remain in circulation. The 1993 banknotes will be exchangeable at the Croatian National Bank in Zagreb for an unlimited period.

Tags: Croatia

The Bank of Latvia has issued new 5- and 20-lat notes dated 2009. The 5-lat (US$10.10) note is like Pick 52, but new date. The 20-lat (US$40.35) note is like Pick 51, but new dates, new signature (Ilmars Rimsevics, Governor), and wider windowed security thread on back.

Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Nazir Rahemtulla.

Tags: Latvia

50 pesos (US$3.85), 28 OCT. 2008. Series K with signatures of Jesús Marcos Yacaman (JUNTA DE GOBIERNO/Sub-Governor) and Raúl Valdés Ramos (CAJERO PRINCIPAL/Chief Cashier). Introduced December 2009. Polymer.

Courtesy of Ricardo G. Ramírez.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

According to a press release from the Banco Central del Paraguay dated 24.12.2009, all 1,000-guaraní notes will no longer be legal tender on 06.01.2011, and will be demonetized 06.01.2014.

Tags: Paraguay

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Bermuda:

Pick 1
Pick 2
Pick 3
Pick 4
Pick 6
Pick 7
Pick 9
Pick 12
Pick 13
Pick 13A
Pick 15
Pick 16
Pick 17
Pick 21a
Pick 31a
Pick 32a

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Bermuda

In response to the circulation of banknotes scrawled with opposition slogans—such as "Death to the dictator”—following President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed June re-election, the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran has declared that defaced banknotes will be invalidated if not exchanged by 8 January 2010.

This move is ironic because Iran’s current leaders likely spent similarly defaced banknotes following the country’s 1978-1979 Islamic Revolution, a time when the Shah of Iran’s portrait was overprinted (officially and unofficially).

Courtesy of Jim W.-C. Chen, Aidan Work, Tristan Williams, and others.

Tags: Iran

This 5-won note is like Pick 19 with an original date of 1978, but overprinted in black “Sun’s Day, Celebration, 90th Anniversary 15th. 4. Juche 91 (2002)” in honor of the 90th birthday (15.04.2002) of President Kim Il Sung.

Does anyone know if other denominations are available with this overprint, and if this was issued as a commemorative note or as a numismatic product not intended for circulation?

Courtesy of Bill Stubkjaer.

Tags: North Korea

All denominations of notes from Bank Indonesia have now been confirmed dated 2009 with new signatures.















Courtesy of Claudio Marana and Bill Stubkjaer.

Tags: Indonesia

On 18 August 2009, El Banco Central de Chile unveiled a new 5,000-peso (US$9.15) note, the first in a new family of five notes to commemorate 200 years of independence. Other denominations will follow over the course of the next two years. Three of the denominations will be printed on polymer and the other two will be printed on paper. All of the notes were designed by the Swedish company Crane AB, which will also print the paper notes. The polymer notes are printed by Note Printing Australia.

The new polymer 5,000-peso note was introduced on 24 September 2009. Existing 5,000-peso notes remain legal tender, but will be slowly withdrawn from circulation.

The front of this note features a portrait of Gabriela Mistral, images of the heart of Copihue, Antu, and the national flower, the symbol mapuche representing the sun and fertility. The back depicts La Campana National Park, located on the Cordillera de la Costa de la V Region of Valparaiso, which contains one of the few native forests of Chilean Palm. It also contains the image of a Tucúquere, a bird of prey.

Courtesy of Cleophas Elmakias Schockemohle, Marcus Jansson, Bill Stubkjaer, and Kai Hwong.

Tags: Chile, Polymer

100 maloti (US$12.80), 2009. Like Pick 19d, but new date.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Lesotho

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Lesotho:

Pick 3A (20 maloti specimen dated 1979)

In addition to front and back scans, please submit the dimensions of the notes in millimeters.

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Lesotho

According to sources in country, the Central Bank of Jordan has issued some denominations dated AH 1430 / 2009 and bearing a new signature for the Minister of Finance.

Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Mahdi Bseiso.

Tags: Jordan

According to a VNBusinessNews.com article dated 02.12.2009, Nguyen Ngoc Bao, the director of the Monetary Policy Department, has denied rumors that the State Bank of Vietnam plans to issue 1,000,000-dong (US$54) banknotes. At present the largest denomination in Vietnam is the polymer 500,000-dong note (Pick 124, shown above).

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Vietnam, Polymer

50 dollars (US$34.80), no date. Like Pick 49, but new signature and one square below the word ARTS on back.

Courtesy of Vincent Tan.

Tags: Singapore

100 dollars (US$72.15). Like Pick 42, but now issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and signed by Chairman Goh Chok Tong. Despite the lower denominations having made the transition to polymer, this note remains printed on paper. This note has been confirmed in varieties with one and two squares below the word YOUTH on the back. If anyone has an example of this note without a square, or with more than two squares, please send images of same.

Courtesy of Tan Wi Jie and Vincent Tan.

Tags: Singapore

According to a press release, on 17.11.2009 the Central Bank of Sri Lanka introduced a new 1,000-rupee (US$8.75) commemorative banknote to mark the ushering of peace and prosperity to Sri Lanka.

In terms of section 52 A (1) (a) and ( b) of the Monetary Law Act (Amendment) No.6 of 1998, with the approval of the Hon. Minister of Finance, the Central Bank issues commemorative coins and notes. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka issued the first commemorative note to mark the 50th Anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka in 1998 and this is the second commemorative note that is being issued.

The theme on the obverse of the note is one country and one nation in harmony, progressing towards prosperity under the leadership of His Excellency President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. The obverse depicts the image of His Excellency President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is to the right of the note. A map of Sri Lanka with the rising sun in the background and a “Punkalasa” with ears of paddy at center left depicts territorial integrity and prosperity respectively, that are results of national harmony and peace.

The valiant contribution made by the nation’s victorious sons and daughters of the security forces and the police is the theme on the reverse of the note. The design at the center depicts the hoisting of the national flag by members of the security forces. Images of the Mavil Aru annicut and Thoppigala rock (Baron’s Cap) that were turning points of humanitarian operations of the security forces appear in the background.

The size of the note is 157 mm x 78.5 mm and the predominant colour is blue. The notes are identified by a serial prefix of Q and the numbers of the notes are starting from Q/1 000001 onwards and appear on the obverse in Arabic numerals, horizontally on the left and vertically on the right of the note.

The note contains several current security features. The watermark depicting the heraldic lion of Sri Lanka, with the sword highlighted in a panel clear of printing and Cornerstones as hitherto used in current Sri Lanka Rs 1000 note, 1.2 mm wide windowed clear text security thread, see-through feature in exact registration and invisible fluorescent printing have been incorporated in the note.
The note carries the signatures in facsimile of His Excellency the President and Minister of Finance, Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal, with the date 2009-05-20.

The note was issued to His Excellency President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, by the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal on 17th November 2009 at the John Exter International Conference Hall of the Central Bank in Colombo. A limited number of notes with the first serial numbers in an attractive folder will be issued at a price of Rs. 1,500 each.

The note will be legal tender in Sri Lanka for the payment of any amount and will be a liability of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka whilst in circulation.

Courtesy of Aidan Work and Vincent Tan.

Tags: Sri Lanka

200 naira (US$1.30), 2009. Like Pick 29, but new date. There are also some very subtle differences in the design and engravings which may belie a change in printers between this and the 2008 dated note.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Nigeria

2 bolivares fuerte (US$0.95), 19 DE DICIEMBRE DE 2008 (19.12.2008). Like Pick 88, but new date and new signatures.


5 bolivares fuerte (US$2.35), 19 DE DICIEMBRE DE 2008 (19.12.2008). Like Pick 89, but new date and new signatures (as above).


50 bolivares fuerte (US$23.30), 24 DE MAYO DE 2007 (24.05.2007). Like Pick 92, but new date.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: Venezuela

5 naira (US$0.03), 2009. Like Pick 32, but new date, new signatures (Lamido Aminu Sanusi, GOVERNOR; Benjamin C. Onyido, DIRECTOR OF CURRENCY AND BRANCH OPERATIONS), and new titles.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Nigeria, Polymer

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Nigeria:

Pick 1A
Pick 1B
all specimens

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Nigeria

On 15 December 2009, Clydesdale Bank introduced a new 100-pound (US$161) banknote featuring artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh on the front and the Heart of Neolithic Orkney on the back. This is the last denomination to be issued in the new world heritage series marking the Year of Homecoming. The new notes are the first in the UK to use a new “depth image” hologram security feature in the form of a moving image behind the prominent front picture.

Courtesy of Colin Meikle.

Tags: Scotland

According to a Gulf News article dated 16 December 2009, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders concluded their annual two-day summit with an agreement to form a monetary union, paving the way for a single currency for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia; Oman and the United Arab Emirates opted out. A monetary council is to be established in early 2010, and will transition into a central bank, which will eventually issue a single currency, though no timeline was announced.

Courtesy of Amirali Somji.

Tags: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates

According to an article on Haaretz.com, over the next two years the Bank of Israel will issue new banknotes featuring portraits of Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl and three former prime ministers: David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Yitzhak Rabin. The bank has decided against issuing a proposed NIS 500 (US$132) denomination.

The bank’s experiment with a NIS 20 (US$5.25) note printed on polymer is considered a success, so it’s possible the new notes will also be printed on polymer, though a decision on the substrate has not been announced. "With the new set of bills, the bank will be at the forefront of the technological stage on all matters related to the war against counterfeiting," the Bank of Israel said. "The security measures will be friendly to the public so that it will be possible, with relative ease, to spot counterfeit money."

Tags: Israel, Polymer

500 baht (US$15.05), no date. Like Pick 107, but new signature (Korn & Tharisa Wattanaket). All banknote denominations of series 15 are now complete with this signature type.

Courtesy of Sanjay Basu.

Tags: Thailand

Apparently there are two varieties of North Korea’s 500-won note dated 1998 (Pick 44). The first one features fine lines in the clouds surrounding the palace on the front (above, top). On the second one, reportedly issued in 2002 or 2005, the fine lines of the clouds blur into a solid fog as they get closer to the palace (above, bottom). There are also slight differences in the clouds depicted on the back of the note, and it appears that the color of the square seal with star on the watermark area may also be different, though this may be due to variations in printing over time.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: North Korea

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of North Korea:

Pick 1
Pick 4b (without watermark)
Pick 39, 1 won dated 1998
Pick 42, 50 won dated 1998
Pick 43, 100 won dated 1998
Pick 47, 500 won dated 2002 (I strongly suspect this note doesn't exist; prove me wrong)
Pick CS5

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: North Korea

50,000 dollars, 2008. Like Pick 74, but printed on paper with horizontal lines.

The only other denomination observed printed on lined paper is the 20,000-dollar note (Pick 73). Based upon the serial numbers reported so far, it appears the $20,000 note was first printed on lined paper, then switched to plain paper, whereas the $50,000 note appears to have been printed on plain paper first, then lined paper.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Zimbabwe

1,000 kwacha (US$0.25), 2009. Like P45, but new date and new printer imprint. Printer: SABN (South African Bank Note). Polymer.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Zambia, Polymer

The Central Bank of Yemen introduced a new 250-rial (US$1.20) note on 14 November 2009 with the following specifications:

General and Technical Specifications:
A- The size is 158 mm x 75 mm.
B - There is a water mark depicting the coat of arms of the Republic of Yemen located on the right hand side of the face of the banknote.
C- The YR 250 banknote has many features and elements enabling easy detection of its authenticity. They include:
1. The script is prominently printed on the banknote (intaglio) , giving it a distinctive roughness to the touch. The banknote shows the denomination value, the name of the Central Bank of Yemen and the signature of the Bank Governor.
2. There is a star at the bottom of the face of the banknote, half of which is brown while the other half is white.
3. The dome of the mosque appears in a uniform pink color when looking at the banknote directly. But if the banknote is slightly tilted, the color of the background of the dome changes into the colors of a rainbow and shows the denomination value.
4. When light is shed on the back of the banknote the thread stripe changes from a winding zigzagging silver form into dark straight broad black filament and the denomination value appears in white bright color all along the filament.
5. There are modern methods of detecting the authenticity of the banknote, such as by using counting and sorting machines or when the banknote is exposed to ultra violet rays.

Specifications of the Face of the Banknote:
A. A general view of Al-Saleh mosque with its name written at the bottom of the picture.
B. The phrase " Central Bank of Yemen" printed at the top center of the banknote, followed by "Central Bank of Yemen" then "Signature" above the word "Governor".
C. The denomination value is prominently printed in Arabic numbers at the bottom right hand side of the banknote. On the top right hand side of the banknote there are Islamic geometrical designs.
D. Letter-Press printing of the serial numbers printed in red ink at the top right hand side of the paper and in black ink at the bottom left hand side of the banknote.
E. Date of printing 1430 H - 2009 in Arabic.

Specifications of the back of the banknote:
A. A picture of the Mukalla Khor with its name depicted at the bottom of the Khor.
B. The name of the Central Bank of Yemen in English at the top center of the banknote.
C. Printing of the value of the denomination (250) in Arabic numbers at the top left hand side of the banknote and the bottom right hand side of the banknote.
D. Decorative Islamic geometric designs.
E. The back of the banknote contains several advanced security features some of them can be easily recognized by the man in the street, but others can only be detected by counting and sorting machines or when exposed to ultraviolet rays.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda, Hamdy Alsamt, and Luca Maria Peri.

Tags: Yemen

According to a Finance.ua report dated 06.12.2009, the Bank of Russia plans to update the security features of its 1,000-ruble (US$32.85) note in the second half of 2010. The design of the note will be based upon the existing 1,000-ruble note (Pick 277) which was last updated in 2004.

Tags: Russia

According to a GulfNew.com article dated 13.12.2009, the Central Bank of the UAE has announced it has begun building a security press to print banknotes. The plant is being built on a plot of land near the Central Bank building complex in Abu Dhabi. The plant will print all denominations of UAE dinar notes and will have excess capacity for future expansion and printing of notes for other countries in the region.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

50 kwacha (US$0.01), 2009. Like Pick 37, but new date. Printer: DE LA RUE.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Zambia

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Zambia:

Pick A1
Pick 11a and 11b
Pick 12b
Pick 13a
Pick 22A

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Zambia

1,000 rupees (US$11.90), 2009. Like Pick 50, but new date and new signature (Governor Syed Salim Raza).

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Pakistan

Central Bank of Afghanistan introduces a new family of Afghani Banknotes

At a press-conference held on Mizan 13, 1388 (2009) the Central Bank Governor, His Excellency Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, announced that a new family of banknotes would soon be released to the public.

The bank notes are machine readable, of better quality and have more advanced security features than current banknotes. The security features provide robust protection against counterfeiting.

As a result of the improved quality of the banknotes Governor Fitrat reported that the new banknotes will have a greater longevity (4 years) than existing banknotes (3 years).

The Central bank will gradually replace the existing 85 billion Afs that have been issued to date with the new and improved notes. Old, mutilated and dirty notes will be gradually removed from circulation and destroyed in the Central Banks furnace.

The introduction of new banknotes is standard procedure for central banks around the world. Previously, Afghanistan had three separate currencies which lead to hyper-inflation and macroeconomic instability. The currency reform of 1381 introduced a single currency which is issued exclusively by the central Bank. As a result of these reforms the Afghani currency is one of the most stable currencies in the region.

Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Ömer Yalcinkaya.

Tags: Afghanistan

5,000 rupees (US$59.40), 2008. Like Pick 51, but new date and new signature (Governor Shamshad Akhtar).


5,000 rupees (US$59.40), 2009. Like Pick 51, but new date and new signature (Governor Syed Salim Raza).

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Pakistan

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Pakistan:

Pick 1A
Pick 3A
Pick 11
Pick R1
Pick R2
100-rupee note dated 2009

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Pakistan

10 rand (US$1.30), no date. Like Pick 128, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus).


20 rand (US$2.65), no date. Like Pick 129, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus).

If you have the note, please send scans of the 50-rand denomination with the new signature.

Courtesy of Michael Reissner.

Tags: South Africa

500 naira (US$4.30), 2009. Like P30, but new date, new signatures (Lamido Aminu Sanusi, GOVERNOR; Benjamin C. Onyido, DIRECTOR OF CURRENCY AND BRANCH OPERATIONS), and new titles.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Nigeria

Color varieties for South Korea 1,000-won (US$0.85) note (Pick 47) from 1983 have recently been reported. Specifically, it appears that the portrait on the front and the buildings on the back are purple on one variety, and brown on the other variety. Furthermore, on the “purple” variety, the numerals 1000 at lower right on back are blue, whereas they are purple on the “brown” variety. Finally, the engraving or printing on the “brown” variety appears sharper than the “purple” variety, though there are no other differences in the text, underprinting, watermarks, or other security features.

The scans below were created at the same time, so the color variations are not a result of differences in the equipment. Collectors are encouraged to examine their notes and report if they can verify these differences on other examples. Also, I would appreciate hearing from collectors who can determine which of these notes came first based upon their serial number prefixes.

Purple Brown

Purple
Brown

Courtesy of Kevin Klauss.

Tags: South Korea

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of South Korea:

Pick 15
Pick 18
Pick 20
Pick 22
Pick 23
Pick 24
Pick 26
Pick 27
Pick 38A
Pick 53

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: South Korea

It has recently been reported that the North Korea 100-won note dated 1992 (Pick 43) is available with three different watermark varieties: small Arch of Triumph at angle, large Arch of Triumph straight on, and no watermark. The color scheme and printing on the note with the bigger arch watermark is slightly lighter than the others.



This new find helps explain why some denominations of the new 95th anniversary commemorative notes issued in 2007 lack watermarks whereas their regular note counterparts had previously been reported only with watermarks. It appears that North Korea has switched some notes to paper without watermarks as a cost-cutting measure.

Collectors are encouraged to examine their North Korean notes carefully and report any other denominations which have different watermark varieties.

Courtesy of Ömer Yalcinkaya.

Tags: North Korea

According to an article in The Economic Times dated 08.12.09, the Reserve Bank of India is replacing 1- and 2-rupee banknotes with coins due to the short life span and high costs of printing small-denomination notes. In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said, "The notes of these denominations have been coinised…The Reserve Bank has informed that in view of the short life span of the lower denominations notes of Re 1, Rs 2, and Rs 5 and the high cost involved in printing and processing of soiled notes of these denominations, the government has decided to discontinue the printing of lower denominations notes," Meena said.

Tags: India

In a press release dated 02.12.2009, Bangladesh Bank announced the 06.12.2009 introduction of a 20-taka (US$0.30) note signed by Governor Dr. Atiur Rahman. It appears to be a new date/signature variety only.

Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Nat Denkin and Mohammed J. Islam.

Tags: Bangladesh

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Rwanda-Burundi:

Pick 4
Pick 5
Pick 7

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Rwanda, Burundi, Rwanda-Burundi

10,000 forint (US$50.90), 2009. Like Pick 192, but new date, new signatures, and Omron rings.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.
 
Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Hungary

50 dollars (US$0.55). Like Pick 83, but new date (15.01.2008).


500 dollars (US$5.60). Like Pick 85, but new date (15.01.2008).


1,000 dollars (US$11.20). Like Pick 86, but new date (15.01.2008).

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Banknoteshop and Thomas Krause.

Tags: Jamaica

10 dollars (US$1.35), no date. Like Pick 4, but 8-digit serial number with B prefix and no UV 10 at right front.


20 dollars (US$2.70), no date. Like Pick 6, but 8-digit serial number with H prefix.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Namibia

On 1 December 2009, the Czech National Bank introduced a new version of the 5,000-korun (US$287) note, now dated 2009 (offset printed in black) and with enhanced security features. The 1999 note of the same denomination remains legal tender, while the 1993 version remains exchangeable at the CNB.

The 2009 note is signed by Governor Tůma and bears series letter C. Among its new security features are “bichrome patterned iridescent metallic strip of overlapping gold and purple with recurring quartets of linden leaves and negative 5000s” to the right of the portrait on the front of the note. The note is also protected by Omron rings, 3-mm wide puce-to-green color-shifting windowed security thread with demetalized ČNB 5000 Kč, and the watermark of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk now has 5000 and sitting eagle electrotype elements.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Kevin Klauss and Evzen Sknouril.

Tags: Czech Republic

According to an article in the Jersey Evening Post dated 3 December 2009, the island nation will introduce a set of redesigned notes in 2010. The new notes will feature new security measures and will have the values printed in both French and Jèrriais on one side. Details about the other denominations have not been released, but the 1-pound note will feature the Liberation Statue, in Liberation Square, on the front and La Hougue Bie on the back. All but one of the new notes will be introduced in February 2010, with the new denomination of 100 pounds (US$165) issued later in the year.

Additional information and images are requested.

Tags: Jersey

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Jersey:

Pick 6b
new notes issued February 2010

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Jersey

According to a report on DailyNK, the North Korean central bank has revalued and is replacing the national currency as of 30 November 2009. With the exchange rate of 100:1, the formerly largest denomination of 5,000 won is now equivalent to 50 new won. Apparently there are nine new won notes ranging from 5 to 5,000 won, which matches the previous currency structure with the exception that the 1-won note has been replaced by a coin and the 2,000-won denomination is new.

There is little concrete information on the reason for this move. Speculation is that the government hopes to dampen inflation, harm the black market, or uncover large caches of hidden cash. The official exchange rate of the won had been 140 to the US dollar, but on the black market it traded at closer to 3,000 to one.

Initially, the government planned to allow each household to exchange up to 100,000 won for new banknotes, but in the face of public protests, the exchangeable amount has been increased, initially to 150,000 won, then later to 500,000 won. These limitations apply only to cash; won deposited in banks can be converted, but only after officials investigate the source of funds over one million won. Citizens have from between 30 November and 6 December to exchange currency. New notes will start circulating from 7 December.



Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Paul Nahmias and Alex Klark.

Tags: North Korea

1 pound (US$1.65), ND. Like Pick 40, but new signature (P. M. Shimmin, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER) and two-character prefix.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Pam West.

Tags: Isle of Man

According to a 14 September 2009 press release, on 24 September the Bank of Jamaica issued its highest denomination ever, a new 5,000-dollar (US$56) note. The portrait of the late former Prime Minster of Jamaica, the Rt. Hon. Hugh Lawson Shearer, appears on the front of the note. The back features blossoms of the Frangipani and an aerial view of Highway 2000.

In addition to the standard security features on the existing banknotes—magnetic thread and ink, iridescence, florescence and watermark—the $5,000 banknote is protected against counterfeiting by Optiks, De La Rue's wide security thread for use on paper notes with a large oval window. The thread depicts the Jamaica coat of arms, and when held up to the light, the complete thread with “BOJ $5000” will become visible. The note also features a watermark of Shearer with electrotype 5000 and Cornerstone watermarks.

The new note is dated 15.01.2009, bears the signature of the Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, Derick Latibeaudiere, and has the DA LE RUE printer imprint.

Courtesy of Marcus Jansson and Frank van Tiel.

Tags: Jamaica

In an effort to raise some cash while I am working on my new catalog, I am selling some duplicate notes.

Click to download entire list of duplicates as Excel spreadsheet which also includes ordering instructions.

I have a small quantity of the note described below for sale at $10 each in perfect uncirculated condition.


Purple. Front: Bank of Somaliland building in Hargeisa; trees; camels. Back: Herdsmen with flock of sheep and goats on Berbera dock; ship; trucks. Windowed security thread. Watermark: None. Printer: Unknown. 145 x 66 mm. Signatures: Abdirahman Dualle Mahmoud and Abdi Mohamoud Gullet.

Tags: Somaliland

100 kwacha (US$0.02), 2009. Like Pick 38, but new date.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause and Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Zambia

20,000 shillings (US$10.65), 2009. Like Pick 46, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda.

Tags: Uganda

On 27 August 2009, the Bank of Uganda announced that it would introduce a 1,000-shilling (US$0.50) note with a modified serial number format on 1 September 2009. The notes are like the current note of the same denomination (Pick 43), except that they carry serial numbers with a single prefx letter followed by seven digits, instead of the preceding two-letter prefix followed by six digits.

According to Raimondi Otim, deputy director of the currency department at BoU, “This is just a slight change in the numbering only, but the security features and the colurs of the notes remains the same. This development does not mean that the old Shs1,000 banknotes have ceased to be valid. The new Shs1,000 banknotes will be in circulation alongside the old banknotes,” he said.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda.

Tags: Uganda

5 dalasis (US$0.20), no date. Red. Front: Giant kingfisher bird; young Gambian girl. Back: Man with cattle in field; palm trees. Solid security thread printed THE GAMBIA. Watermark: Crocodile head. Printer: (TDLR). 132 x 69 mm. Introduced 16.04.2009. Like Pick 25, but new signatures: Governor Saho and First Deputy Governor Njai.

If anyone has the new D10 note also bearing these signatures, please send scans of same so that I can share them with others.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda.

Tags: Gambia

On 30 November 2009, Clydesdale Bank introduced a new 10-pound (US$16.40) world heritage banknote featuring Robert Burns on the front and Edinburgh’s old and new towns on the back. Clydesdale chief executive Lynne Peacock said: “The new £10 note reflects the excellent reputation Scotland’s people and locations have across the world. As a bank, we are extremely proud to highlight the impact of Robert Burns’s work, as well as the country’s history with the old and new towns of Edinburgh.”

The new £100 note—the last denomination to be released in this new series— is scheduled for introduction in mid-December. The new notes are the first in the UK to use a new “depth image” hologram security feature in the form of a moving image behind the prominent front picture.

Tags: Scotland

20 dollars (US$0.30)
Like Pick 28, but new date (2008).

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Liberia notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Liberia

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Liberia:

Pick 8-17
Pick 19-20, 26-30 specimens

In addition to front and back scans, please submit the dimensions of the notes in millimeters.

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Liberia

On 23 September 2009, the Bank of Mexico introduced two commemorative banknotes: a paper one to celebrate the bicentennial of independence, and a polymer one to celebrate the centennial of the Mexican Revolution.

The 100-peso commemorative with series A/A-A/E has an error in the microprinted text. On the front, the text appears correctly as “SUFRAGIO EFECTIVO Y NO REELECCION.” However, on the back the second word is misspelled as “ELECTIVO.” Apparently a corrected note will appear in 2010, and the error notes will remain in circulation.

Courtesy of Rickey Stein and Thomas Krause.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

5,000 kwacha (US$1.40), 2009. Like Pick 45, but new date.

Courtesy of Garry Craig.

Tags: Zambia

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Western Samoa:

Pick 1-12
Pick 15

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Western Samoa

5,000 guaraníes (US$1), 2008.
Like Pick 223, but new date, new signatures, new serial number placement, series E, and wider color-changing windowed security thread. Printer: Giesecke & Devrient.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: Paraguay

200 pounds (US$36.70). Like Pick 68, but dated (in Arabic) 13.01.2009, reduced in size (165 x 73 mm vs. 175 x 80 mm), and horizontal lines added at right and left edges on front.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: Egypt

200 pounds (US$36.70). Like Pick 68, but dated (in Arabic) 12.11.2007.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: Egypt

According to a Daily Nation article dated 18 November 2009, Kenya’s coins and notes will not bear the portrait of any individual if the proposals in the new draft constitution of Kenya are adopted. The draft proposes "Notes and coins issued by the Central Bank of Kenya may bear images that depict or symbolise Kenya or an aspect of Kenya but may bear the portrait of any individual." This means that former presidents Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Moi will be the only personalities to have had portraits on Kenya’s currency.

Kenyans have a month to make their contributions on what they think of the proposals before changes are made to the draft constitution. A referendum is scheduled for early March 2010. If the referendum agrees to adopt the constitution, it will see the Central Bank governor hold office for a term of six years instead of the current four years, and will no longer be eligible for re-appointment.

Courtesy of Aidan Work.

Tags: Kenya

The Bank of Uganda is reported to have issued new 50,000-shilling notes dated 2009.

Anyone possessing these notes with the ability to scan same is encouraged to send images.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda.

Tags: Uganda

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Czechoslovakia:

P11
P13
P14
P18
P72

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Czechoslovakia

According to a Korea Times article dated 11-10-2009, some South Koreans have difficulty distinguishing between the new 50,000-won (US$43.20) note and the old 5,000-won (US$4.30) note due to “their physical similarity” and are calling for the government to change the color of the highest-value banknotes.

The Bank of Korea, however, says no countermeasures are being considered at this time, adding there are several identification devices applied to the bills: The 50,000-won bills are longer than 5,000-won notes by 12 millimeters, and a hologram on their surface is easily noticeable in dark places. "Such criticism is somewhat groundless because U.S. dollar bills are issued all in the same color but not subject to such confusion," a BOK official said on condition of anonymity. "The two bills are different in color, as 50,000-won bills are yellow and 5,000-won bills are reddish-yellow."

It’s hard to imagine how anyone can confuse the two notes since they are of clearly different colors, feature very different portraits, and have easily distinguishable security threads and holographic elements. However, I gave some thought to the BOK official’s defense that the US dollar isn’t subject to confusion. Perhaps it is precisely because the US notes are all the same size and approximate color that the public is forced to pay particular attention to their printed denominations.

In this case, the US benefits from a limited number of denominations, all of which can be expressed by one, two, or three easily distinguished digits: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100. When looking at the 5,000- and 50,000-won notes, you see that it’s not easy to know the denomination at a glance because you must stop to count the zeros. An easy fix to this problem would be to use a space-holder character such as a comma, or make the last three zeros shorter than the other digits so that the 5 and 50 would stand out.

Tags: South Korea

500 won, 2007. Green and purple. Front: Coat of arms; Kumsusan Memorial Palace (Kim Il Sung Mausoleum) in Pyongyang; mongnan (Seibold’s magnolia) flowers. Back: Suspension bridge over river; olive branch. No security thread. Watermark: Unknown. Printer: Unknown. 155 x 75 mm.

Like Pick 44, but new date and the banner beneath the denomination on the bottom right and left front does not extend to note’s edge.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: North Korea

I would like to report a counterfeit note: West African States Pick 314C 10,000 francs dated 2001.

I recently bought two pieces from a dealer at a reasonable price and later came across Burt Burson (an expert on French African notes) selling the same note as a counterfeit on eBay.

I think it is important to announce the fake ones. It will save some collectors from buying fake notes as genuine ones. Even I bought as genuine at first glance. Therefore I wrote this short warning:

COUNTERFEIT WARNING - West African States Pick 314C 10,000 francs dated 2001

• The most eye catching difference is the silver foil segmented security thread. The actual note has a very shiny one whereas the fake note has a rather dull one.
• The actual note has more lively and darker colors and the fake one has more pale colors and a lighter pink underprint.
• Signatures do not match with what should be in 2001. Both sides scans of a genuine note dated 2001 are shown to show that it has a different signature for "Le Président du Conseil des Ministres."
• Although it is a high quality counterfeit, the paper still feels not genuine with a careful touch.
• On a genuine note, the digit four in the serial number will be closed at top, but on fake notes the top of the four is open.

REAL
FAKE


REAL
FAKE


REAL
FAKE


REAL FAKE

Courtesy of Ömer Yalcinkaya.

Tags: West African States

The Reserve Bank of India is expected to issue a new 50-rupee (US$1.10) banknote with L inset letter in both numbering panels in the Mahatma Gandhi Series -2005 bearing the signature of D. Subbarao, governor.

Except for the change in the inset letter, the design of these notes to be issued is similar in all respects to the banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005, with additional / new security features issued on 24 August 2005.

Tags: India

According to an All Headline News article dated 19 November 2009, Bangladesh Bank plans to use a portrait of founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mijubur Rahman on all new currency. The central bank has requested the finance ministry’s approval of its plans. If granted, new banknotes and coins are scheduled for 2010.

Tags: Bangladesh

10 ringgit (US$7.20), 2008. Like Pick 24, but new date. Polymer.

The 1-ringgit note has also been reported dated 2008. If you have this note, please send high-resolution scans of same.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Polymer, Brunei

5 quetzales (US$0.60). 17 DE ENERO DE 2007. Like Pick 110, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Guatemala

On 19 June 2009, the Bank of Estonia issued 2- and 10-kroon banknotes dated 2007. Aside from the new date, the notes are identical to the preceding issues, including the signatures (Andres Lipstok, President; Mart Sõrg, Noukogu Esimees). The new 2-kroon (US$0.20) notes were printed in Germany by Gieseke & Devrient and the 10-kroon (US$0.90) notes in Malta by De La Rue, both without imprints.





Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Estonia

2,000 pesos (US$1), 17 DE AGOSTO DE 2007. Like P457, but new date.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: Colombia

1,000 pesos (US$0.50), 14 DE AGOSTO DE 2007. Like P456, but new date.

If anyone owns P456a dated 7 DE MARZO DE 2005 (07.03.2005), please send me scans of same.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: Colombia

50 patacas (US$6.25). 8 DE AGOSTO DE 2009.

Front: The Sai Wan Bridge as principal illustration and in the upper left corner, in the vertical, the legend <<50 PATACAS>> in Portuguese; and in the lower right corner the same legend, in vertical, in Chinese characters and in the horizontal, in Portuguese. A see-through pattern shows a registered image on both sides of the note. An electrotype watermark is placed below the watermark of the lotus flower showing the denomination value in Arabic character.

Back: In the lower right corner in the horizontal, the legend <<50 PATACAS>> in Chinese characters and in the upper left corner, in the vertical, the same legend in Portuguese. As principal illustration, on the left the Banco Nacional Ultramarino building and in the right of the principal illustration, the caravel logotype of Banco Nacional Ultramarino. A windowed holographic thread runs vertically through the middle left hand side of the note. Novel serial numbering both for the vertical and horizontal format appears on the reverse side of the note.

Size: 148 mm X 74 mm
Printer - Hong Kong Note Printing Limited - Hong Kong.
Entry into circulation - November 2009.
Quantity Issued: 5 million notes

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Simon Sui, who purchased the note from Yi Chen (IBNS 10210).

Tags: Macau

50 pounds (US$82.50). Issued 2 November 2009.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: Scotland

Brown, red, and blue. Front: Quetzal bird; flag; bishop Francisco Marroquín; blue-to-green OVI seal. Back: Flower beds and pillars in courtyard at University of San Carlos de Borromeo in Antigua. Holographic windowed security thread. Watermark: Francisco Marroquín and electrotype 100. Printer: Joh. Enschede. 158 x 67 mm. Dated: 12 DE MARZO DE 2008 (12.03.2008). Intro: 06.11.2009.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Guatemala

10,000 francs (US$57.40). Like Pick 41, but now issued by BANQUE CENTRALE DE DJIBOUTI and watermark includes electrotype BCD.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Djibouti

5 pounds (US$8.25). To be issued 19 November 2009.


10 pounds (US$16.50). To be issued 5 November 2009.

Tags: Scotland

5 lei (US$0.45). Like Pick 9, but new date (2009).


10 lei (US$0.90). Like Pick 10, but new date (2009).


200 lei (US$18.20). Like Pick 16, but new date (2009).

Courtesy of Vadim Tislenko.

Tags: Moldova

1,000 won. Green and light blue. Front: Coat of arms; flowers; Kim Il Sung. Back: Trees; houses (birthplace of Kim Il Sung) in Mangyongdae. No security thread. Watermark: Arch of Triumph. 155 x 75 mm. Dated 2006.

Like Pick 45, but new date and the banner beneath the denomination on the bottom right and left front does not extend to note’s edge.

Courtesy of Thomas Augustsson.

Tags: North Korea

Bank Al-Maghrib issued a 50-dirham (US$6.45) note in mid-October 2009 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the central bank. Apparently 4 million notes will be issued at face value.

This is the first commemorative banknote issued in Morocco. It was designed by Roger Pfund, the Swiss artist who has also designed notes for Switzerland, France, and the European Union.



The front of the 147 x 70 mm green note features portraits of Kings Mohammed VI, Hassan II, Mohammed V. The back depicts the headquarters of Bank Al-Maghrib in Rabat. The speech delivered in 1959 by Mohammed V at the opening of Bank Al Maghrib is microprinted in on the back.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun and Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Morocco

On 19 October 2009, Clydesdale Bank introduced a new 20-pound (US$32.60) world heritage banknote featuring Robert the Bruce on the front and the historic mill house New Lanark on the back. Other denominations will gradually enter circulation over the remainder of year, beginning with the £50 note, then the £5 and the £10, with a £100 note coming out in mid-December. Each note will feature a prominant Scottish individual, whilst depicting one of the country’s five world heritage sites on the other side.

Courtesy of Alessio Amato.

Tags: Scotland

On 31 October 2006, the Bank of Russia announced that it intends to replace all 10-ruble (Pick 273, US$0.37) bank notes with coins. “Coins serve longer than bank notes,” explained deputy chairman Georgy Luntovsky. Coins can circulate for 10 to 15 years, while 10- and 50-ruble notes have a lifetime of approximately half a year.

On 22 October 2009, the bank announced that it would stop issuing 10-ruble (US$0.35) banknotes in 2010 because they wear out quickly and are too expensive to produce. The notes will be replaced by a coin.

Courtesy of Mikhail Istomin.

Tags: Russia

50,000 kwacha (US$10.70). Like Pick 48, but new date (2009).

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ömer Yalcinkaya.

Tags: Zambia

On 21 October 2009, the Banco Central de Paraguay announced it will remove three zeroes from the guarani in 2011 in an attempt to simplify economic transactions. The revised currency will be called the new guarani for a two-year period. The notes will apparently feature the same designs as the current series of notes.

Courtesy of Alex Zlotin.

Tags: Paraguay

10 rupees (US$0.20). 2008. Like Pick 95c, but M inset letter.


20 rupees (US$0.40). 2007. Like Pick 96b, but E inset letter.


100 rupees (US$2.15). 2008. Like Pick 98d, but S inset letter.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: India

10,000 livres (US$6.70). Like Pick 86, but new date (2008).

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Lebanon

According to an article in The Zimbabwean dated 16 October 2009, the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has contracted with two foreign firms to print new banknotes. Governor Beno Ndulu said that the new notes would be in circulation by June 2010 and old notes will remain legal tender.

The country's current notes are printed by the German firm Giesecke & Devrient, but the Swedish company Crane Currency AB will print the new 500, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 shilling notes, while the UK-based De La Rue will print the new 1,000-shilling notes. The designs and security features have not been finalized.

Tags: Tanzania

According to an IOL.com article dated 17 October 2009, the South African Reserve Bank has refuted a rumor circulating via email claiming that the bank is about to issue a 500-rand (US$68) note.

Robertina Mbedzi, assistant communications practitioner at the Reserve Bank, said "The bank is currently not planning to issue a R500 note in the future and we are unaware of how this e-mail came about. South Africa has a family of five bank note denominations and the R200 note remains the highest denomination."

Tags: South Africa

20 pesos (US$0.40). Like Pick 182, but new date (2005) and UN Year of Microcredit 2005 ovpt.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: Philippines

On 9 September 2009, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) began issuing one million 150-dollar (US$19.35) banknotes to commemorate its 150-year anniversary. The commemorative banknotes is legal tender, but was sold at a premium over face value. A single HK$150 note cost HK$280, a pane of four notes costs HK$1,888, and a full sheet of 35 notes is priced at HK$18,888.

Standard Chartered has also selected 100 notes with special lucky serial numbers for public bidding and another 10,000 pieces for which the public can pick a serial number of their choice. There are three categories of lucky number notes, with minimum bid prices of HK$10,000, HK$6,000 and HK$3,000. The "single self-selected serial number" notes will be offered at HK$888 each by lottery. Net proceeds will go to the bank's community foundation in support of local community projects and charities.

The front of the banknote, designed by Austrian graphic designer Henry Steiner, who has designed banknotes for Standard Chartered since 1975, features a satellite image of Victoria Harbour with the lender's corporate blue and green as the main color tones. The reverse side demonstrates the history of Hong Kong through iconic Images of people from all walks of life taking in the view of the Victoria Harbour from the Peak: a policeman, a mother and her chlld in a traditional back carrier, a bird fancier, a worker, a woman with a parasol, a businessman on his mobile phone, and a school boy pointing at a hawk. These Images demonstrate how the people of Hong Kong have contributed to the city's success through the past 150 years.



Courtesy of Kai Hwong and Thomas Augustsson.

Tags: Hong Kong

5,000 livres (US$3.35). Like Pick 85, but new date (2008).

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Banknoteshop.

Tags: Lebanon

100 taka (US$1.45). Like Pick 49, but new date, new signature, and new title on back.

There are now at least three 100-taka note varieties dated 2009. One is signed by Governor Salehuddin Ahmed, and the other two are signed by Governor Atiur Rahman, but the signatures are slightly different (see below).



In addition to the signature change, the text on the back of the note has changed slightly, too. The text on the first note reads Bangabandhu Bridge (named after Sheikh Mujibar Rahman whose official title was Bangabandhu), and the new one reads Jamuna Bridge (named after the river it spans).



Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels and Nazir Rahemtulla.

Tags: Bangladesh

50 dinars (US$70.50). Like Pick 38, but new date (2008) and new signatures.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: Jordan

10 dollars (US$9). Like Pick 58, but new date (20)08 and new signatures.

Courtesy of Kai Hwong.

Tags: Australia, Polymer

10 dollars (US$10). Like Pick 52, but new date (7 MAY 2007) and new signatures.

Courtesy of TDS.

Tags: Bermuda

5 dollars (US$4.50). Like Pick 57, but new date (20)08 and new signatures.

Courtesy of TDS.

Tags: Australia, Polymer

On 1 October 2009, Myanmar issued a 5,000-kyat banknote, the largest denomination in the Asian country formerly known as Burma. The undated, unsigned 150 x 70 mm purple note features an elephant on front and buildings on back.

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Myanmar, Burma

Collectors in Singapore have recently discovered that some of the polymer notes in circulation have small squares beneath the titles on the back vignette. Specifically, the 2-dollar note (Pick 46) has been confirmed both with and without a single square beneath the word EDUCATION, and the 10-dollar note (not listed in SCWPM; shown above) has been confirmed with none, one, and two squares beneath the word SPORTS.

If anyone knows the purpose of these squares, or is aware of other denominations or varieties, please share your info and images.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Vincent Tan.

Tags: Singapore, Polymer

10 gourdes (US$0.25). Like Pick 272 but new date (2008) and new signatures.


50 gourdes (US$1.25). Like Pick 273 but new date (2008) and new signatures.


100 gourdes (US$2.50). Like Pick 275 but new date (2008) and new signatures.


250 gourdes (US$6.30). Like Pick 276 but new date (2007) and new signatures.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Banknoteshop.

Tags: Haiti

On 23 September 2009, the Bank of Mexico introduced two new commemorative banknotes. The 200-peso paper note celebrates the bicentenial of independence. It is also noteworthy because it's the first note in the world with a new security feature: the Pixel watermark, developed by ArjoWiggins Security.

A new development in the field of multi-tone watermarks, Pixel watermarks consist of patterns of dark dots of varying sizes on light backgrounds to create 3D effects such as the texture on the angel's wing on Mexico's new 200-peso commemorative. According to ArjoWiggins, in the coming months 20 new banknotes will be issued in Asia and Latin America featuring Pixel watermarks.




Courtesy of Nathalie Vast.

Tags: Mexico

20,000 kwacha (US$5.60). Like Pick 47, but new date (2009).

Orange. Front: Coat of arms; dove; holographic patch; mukwa tree; fish eagle perched on branch. Back: Black lechwe (kobus leche) antelope; men working pneumatic drill in mine; Freedom Statue in Lusaka. Windowed security thread with demetalized BOZ 20000. Watermark: Fish eagle, electrotype 20000 plus fish eagle, and Cornerstones. Printer: DE LA RUE. 145 x 70 mm. Signature: Caleb M. Fundanga.

Courtesy of David Murcek.

Tags: Zambia

1,000 dirhams (US$272). Like Pick 33, but new date (2008), new signatures (Sheikh Hamad bin Rashid al Maktoum and Khalil Foulazi), and new coat of arms (old arms with dhow; new arms with flag).

Brown. Front: Fort at Abu Dhabi; coat of arms. Back: Sparrow-hawk; Abu Dhabi skyline with Corniche. Windowed security thread with demetalized UAE 1000. Holographic stripe with denomination. Watermark: Sparrow-hawk head with electrotype 1000 and coffee pot. Printer: Unknown. 163 x 70 mm.

To date it appears only the 100- and 1,000-dirham notes have have been updated with the new coat of arms (other denominations have been issued dated 2008, but they still have the old coat of arms). Please share scans if you have other notes with the new coat of arms.

Courtesy of David Murcek.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

2,000 pesos (US$1.05), 14 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2006. Like P457, but new date.

Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.

Tags: Colombia

On 16 September 2009, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced plans to issue 1.9 billion new polymer notes in 5, 10, and 50 naira denominations, worth US$0.03, 0.06, and 0.32, respectively. President Umaru Yar’Adua launched the new notes on 30 September. 1.3 billion note were printed abroad, while the remaining 615 million were printed by the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting.

Governor Lamido Aminu Sanusi said, “The existing denominations of N5, N10, and N50 paper notes remain legal tender and will circulate side by side with the new polymer notes for the next six months. The new N5, N10, and N50 polymer notes have retained their current sizes, designs and other key elements. Only the watermark has been replaced with the transparent window and G-switch which turns from green to gold when the note is tilted."

The move to polymer is intended as a cost-savings measure since polymer notes last longer than paper notes, even though they are initially more expensive to produce.

The 5- and 10-naira notes are signed by the former governor, Chukwuma “Charles” Soludo, while the 50-naira note is signed by the present governor, Sanusi. Both are also signed by Benjamin C. Onyido as DIRECTOR OF CURRENCY AND BRANCH OPERATIONS.







Courtesy of Arigo Avbovbo.

Tags: Nigeria, Polymer

10,000 pesos (US$18). Like Pick 157c, but new date (2008) and new signatures.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Banknoteshop.

Tags: Chile

During the 30 September 2009 introduction of the new 5-, 10-, and 50-naira polymer banknotes, the Central Bank of Nigeria said it may eventually issue 500- and 1,000-naira notes printed on polymer, although the focus is now on the lower denominations since they are more widely used than the higher denominations.

Tags: Nigeria, Polymer

50 pesos uruguayos (US$2.35). Like Pick 84, but new date (2008), new series D, two signatures instead of three, and no windowed security thread. The SCWPM has reserved Pick 87 for an expected new issue dated 2006, but that's unlikely to exist and P87 will probably eventually be assigned to this 2008 issue.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Banknoteshop.

Tags: Uruguay

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Somalia:

Pick 6
Pick 7
Pick 8
Pick 9
Pick 10

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Somalia

50 maloti (US$4.55). Like Pick 17, but new date, new signature (Moeketsi Senaoana), the colors are more vibrant, the watermark of the coat of arms now includes the denomination (not electrotype), as well as Cornerstones, and a windowed security thread. Printer: (TDLR).

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: Lesotho

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the poet Julius Slowacki, the National Bank of Poland issued 80,000 new 20-zloty (US$6.90) notes on 23 September 2009. The notes were issued in a folder at a price of 29-zloty each, which makes these non-circulating numismatic products.

Dated 08 STYCZNIA 2009 (08.01.2009), the front features a portrait of Julius Slowacki and a view of the Krzemieniec chalet in Ukraine where the poet was born. The back of the note depicts the portion of the reproduction of the poem "Sedation" and Sigismund III Vasa at Castle Square in Warsaw, and profiles of flying cranes.

The note is protected by a watermark of the poet's face and a registration device in the form of a pen inkwell. The note was designed by Maciej Kopecki and engraved by Przemyslaw Krajewski.

This is the third commemorative banknote from Poland.


Brown. Front: Quill and inkwell; Krzemieniec chalet in Ukraine; coat of arms; poet Julius Slowacki. Back: Flying cranes brids; statue of Sigismund III Vasa at Castle Square in Warsaw; handwritten poem “Sedation.” Solid security thread with microprinted 20 Zł. Watermark: Julius Slowacki and electrotype denomination. Printer: PWPW S.A. (Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartosciowych SA). 138 x 69 mm. Dated 8 STYCZNIA 2009 (08.01.2009). Signatures: Sławomir Skrzypek, PREZES (President); Monika Nowosielska, GŁÓWNY SKARBNIK (Main Cashier). Intro: 23.09.2009.

Courtesy of Leszek Porowski and Krzysztof Czupryński.

Tags: Poland

20 dollars (US$2.50)
Like Pick 28, but new signature (Denton Hehenoro Rarawa, Governor; Shadrach Fanega, Secretary, Finance). Issued 2009.

Courtesy Claudio Marana.

Tags: Solomon Islands

2 dollars (US$1), 1st. SEPTEMBER 2007. Like Pick 66, but new date and new signatures.

Tags: Belize

500 rupees (US$6.50)
Like Pick 65, but without rhododendron printed atop watermark (unknown; presumably not King Gyanendra), and new signature (Deependra Bahadur Chhettri). Introduced 20.09.2009. Reportedly printed in France.

A new 1,000-rupee note is expected in December. Presumably it will be like Pick 66, but again without the rhododendron printed atop watermark.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana and Shankar Shrestha.

Tags: Nepal

In a press release dated 23 September 2009, the Bank of Mexico announced the immediate introduction of two new commemorative banknotes: a paper one to celebrate the bicentennial of independence, and a polymer one to celebrate the centennial of the Mexican Revolution. Each will be limited to 50 million pieces and these notes will not replace the currently circulating notes of the same denominations.

20,000 sets of notes with matching serial numbers were sold in a special folder. Anyone with information on the original cost of a set or the ability to scan the folder is encouraged to share that info and the images.


100 pesos (US$7.50)
Commemorates the Mexcian Revolution. Front: Ear of corn; camp follower (Adelita); locomotive that carried revolutionary troops in 1910; corn field; map. Back: Corn field; soldiers in David Alfaro Siqueiros' mural "Del Porfirismo a la Revolución;" ear of corn. Watermark: Adelita. Series A. Dated 20 NOV. 2007. 134 x 66 mm. Polymer.

• Prefix A Signatures: Guillermo Ortiz Martinez and Raul Valdes Ramons
• Prefix B Signatures: unknown (Roberto Del Cueto Legaspi ?) and Raul Valdes Ramons
• Prefix C Signatures: Everardo Elizondo Almaguer and Raul Valdes Ramons
• Prefix D Signatures: Jose Julian Sidaoui Dib and Raul Valdes Ramons
• Prefix E Signatures: Jesus Marcos Yacaman and Raul Valdes Ramons

200 pesos (US$15)
Commemorates Mexican Independence. Front (vertical): Church bell in OVI; map; Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla with a banner, from Jesus Enrique Emilio de la Helguera Evans' painting "Don Miguel Hidalgo." Back (vertical): Angel of Independence, on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City; stylized bright red cap (symbol of freedom). Windowed security thread. Watermark: Angel of Independence with electrotype 200. 141 x 66 mm.

Signature information courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

According to an AllAfrica article, the Bank of Tanzania governor Benno Ndulu reported admitted that the bank is aware that its currency notes are being used to enhance the strength of narcotic drugs. Apparently drug addicts are scraping off the holographic security strip on notes and mixing the powder with drugs such as heroin.

I'm not aware of any psychoactive ingredients used in the manufacture of banknotes or holographic security strips. It appears more likely that drug-addled users are deluding themselves into believing that the silvery flakes are enhancing their highs, or that dealers are using the flakes to brand their wares.

Tags: Tanzania

On 18 August 2009, the Trans-Dniester Republican Bank introduced a 10-ruble banknote commemorating 15 years of national currency. 1,000 copies of the note were packaged in a special folder. All have sold out at US$50 each.

The note is a completely new design, featuring the date (2009) and a portrait of Alexander Suvorov and the bank initials on front. The watermark is of Alexander Suvorov with an electrotype ПРБ. The back depicts the headquarters building of the Trans-Dniester Republican Bank and the text (in Russian) “FIFTEEN YEARS OF NATIONAL CURRENCY.”




Courtesy of Vadim Tislenko and Chris Kessler (Trans-Dniester Republican Bank).

Tags: Transdniestria

50 dollars (US$36)
Like Pick 188, but new date (2007).

Courtesy of Scott de Young.

Tags: New Zealand, Polymer

On 25 July 2009, the Central Bank of Tunisia introduced a new 50-dinar (US$37.65) note.

Green and purple. Front: La Cite de la Culture (The City of Culture) building; scholar Ibn Rachiq. Back: Rades-La Goulette suspension bridge over canal; planes and jetways at Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Enfidha Airport terminal. Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 50 DINARS BCT. Watermark: Ibn Rachiq and electrotype 50. Printer: Unknown. 167 x 80 mm. Dated 2008.11.07.
Signed by Taoufik Baccar, governor; and Hedi Zar, vice-governor.

Courtesy of Cleophas Elmakias Schockemohle, Jan Stuller, and TDS.

Tags: Tunisia

5 rupees (US$0.06). Like preceding Rs5 note, but new date and new signature of Governor Syed Salim Raza. Introduced 15 May 2009.

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Pakistan

On 15 June 2009, Magyar Nemzeti Bank issued a new 200-forint (US$1) coin which will replace the banknote of the same denomination beginning 15 November 2009, after which time the notes will remain redeemable for 20 years.

Tags: Hungary

According to a 17 September 2009 press release, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon issue a 500-rupee (US$10.40) note with E inset letter and signature of D. Subbarao, governor.

Except for the change in the inset letter, the design of these notes to be issued now is similar in all respects to the banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005, with additional/ new security features issued on 21 October 2005.

All banknotes in the denomination of Rs 500 in Mahatma Gandhi series issued by RBI from the year 2000 will continue to be legal tender.

Tags: India

20,000 rials (US$2).
Front like Pick 148, but with new signature combination of Bahmani and Hosseini. Back now depicts Masjid-ul Aqsa (Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa) in Jerusalem.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares, Abdullah Beydoun, and Omer Yalcinkaya.

Tags: Iran

2,000 rials (US$0.20). Like Pick 144, but new signatures.

I originally reported the signature combo as Mazaheri - Bahmani, basing my info on the signature table at Peter Symes’ excellent site, Islamicbanknotes.com. However, I have recently been contacted by Ali Nasseri who says:

The Islamicbanknotes.com has the signature of Hosseini - Bahmani that is correct, but has a mistake too!

Hosseini - Bahmani notes (2000, 5000, 20000 and 50000 Rials) put into circulation after "Danseh Jafari - Mazaheri - Sign 34" notes (2000, 20000 and 50000) and everybody has thought that they are sign 35, even me.

But, because Mr. Mazaheri was the preident of CBI, few month after Mr. Hosseini and before Mr. Bahmani, so the new 2000 Rls is printed before of all "Hosseini - Bahmani" notes (2000, 5000, 20000 and 50000 Rials), so, the new signature "Hosseini - Mazaheri" is printed former than "Hosseini - Bahmani".

I should tell frankly that the previous numeration is mistake and most rewrite according below:
Signature 34: "Danseh Jafari - Mazaheri" (As previous)
Signature 35: "Hosseini - Mazaheri" (new claim)
Signature 36: "Hosseini - Bahmani" (incorrect sign. 35)

Plus, you mentioned "Mazaheri - Bahmani" in your website. Those are both CBI's presidents. Where is the minister of finance's signature??? It is imposible that both of signatures belong to Central Bank presidents.

I corrected the signatures list and you can see them here.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares and Ali Nasseri.

Tags: Iran

500 dirhams (US136), 2008. Like Pick 32, but new date.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn and Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

On 3 September 2009, the Bank of Botswana acknowledged that a small number of the new 100-pula (US$14.95) notes have been issued with a thin plastic layer over the holographic stripe. The plastic, which should have been removed by the printer during manufacturing, can be peeled off the note, removing part of the word Botswana in the process. The affected banknotes remain legal tender.

Tags: Botswana

2 dollars (US$2). Like Pick 50, but new date (7 MAY 2007) and new signatures.


50 dollars (US$50), 7 MAY 2007. Like P54, but new date and new signatures (Alan F. Richardson, CHAIRMAN; Robert Steinhoff, DIRECTOR).

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ömer Yalcinkaya.

Both the 2- and 50-dollar notes have been seen with this new date. The Bermuda Monetary Authority recently confirmed that 10- and 20-dollar notes have also been issued dated 7 MAY 2007. If anyone has these denominations with this date, please send scans so that I can post them.

Tags: Bermuda

While editing the Bangladesh chapter of my new catalog of world notes, Bill Stubkjaer and I confirmed that his example of the Bangladesh 20-taka note of 1979 (Pick 22) has an error in the printed solid security thread. Specifically, the words BANGLADESH BANK are repeated on the thread, but the Bs are backwords and BANK is spelled with an X, not a K:



I'd appreciate it if collectors would examine their own examples of this note and report if varieties exist with the correct spelling. Please post comments with your findings either way.

Tags: Bangladesh, Error

On 9 July 2009, Bank Indonesia introduced a brand new 2,000-rupiah (US$0.20) note which joins the currently circulating denominations of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 rupiah. Bank Indonesia states that the banknote is fulfilling a need among the Indonesian population to have a value between the much-used values of 1,000 and 5,000 rupiah.

The mainly gray-colored banknote measures 141 x 65 and features a portrait of Prince Antasari on the front. He is a national hero from Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. At the back side is a drawing of a traditional Dayak dance. The display of a national hero is a continuation of the current set of banknotes already in circulation, which all feature national Indonesian heroes. The banknote has a watermark of the prince, a solid security thread with printed BI 2000, and microprinting.



Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn and Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: Indonesia

The Bank of Botswana introduced a new family of banknotes on 21 August 2009. The notes officially enter circulation 23 August, though they may not be available to the public until 24 August. The introduction of the new banknotes follows a comprehensive review of the current banknotes in order to bring them in line with current trends. In the development of the new banknotes, the Bank has used the latest technology in banknote design that incorporates the latest security features.

In addition to the current denomination structure comprising P10, P20, P50 and P100, the new P200 banknote was introduced. All of the notes are printed by TDLR and carry the printer's imprint and the date 2009 on the back. The features of the new banknotes are as follows:


P10 Banknote
The P10 banknote retains the green colour, albeit toned down and the rampant zebra watermark. The portrait of former President Mogae is replaced by that of His Excellency President Lt General Seretse Khama Ian Khama. On the reverse side, the picture of the national assembly building is retained.


P20 Banknote
The P20 banknote retains the current red colour, albeit toned down and the rampant zebra watermark. The portrait of the composer of the national anthem, Dr K T Motsete, is retained. Similarly, the picture of the mining installation on the reverse side is retained.


P50 Banknote
The banknote retains the current brown colour and the portrait of Sir Seretse Khama as the founding President. On the reverse side, the Okavango Delta swamps, the man on a boat and the fish eagle are retained. The rampant zebra watermark is also retained.


P100 Banknote
The P100 banknote retains the blue colour, the rampant zebra watermark and the portrait of the three chiefs. On the reverse side, the open pit diamond mine and the lady examining a diamond are retained; some artwork has been introduced for a more modern appearance.


P200 Banknote
The new P200 banknote is purple in colour with the rampant zebra watermark. The portrait in the front of the banknote is an art work of a woman teaching pupils. The concept is intended to underscore the contribution of women in the country’s development through education; it can also be interpreted in other ways, such as the important social role played by mothers in nation building (Go ruta mosadi ke go ruta setshaba). On the reverse side, there is a picture of a herd of zebras at a waterhole.

It is important that members of the public familiarise themselves with the new banknote security features when they (banknotes) are issued. The public is also requested to be vigilant in ensuring that only genuine banknotes are in circulation or in their possession at all times.

The existing banknotes will be withdrawn from circulation when the new banknotes are introduced. The public will be required to exchange what would be the old banknotes for equivalent value of new banknotes at designated places, such as commercial banks, Botswana Savings Bank outlets and Botswana Building Society branches and offices countrywide over a period of three months. After the three months period, what will then be old banknotes will be exchanged for new ones only at the Bank of Botswana banking halls in Gaborone and Francistown, for a period of five years to December 31, 2014. After December 31, 2014, all old banknotes will be demonetised and cease to be legal tender.

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ny Andry Ranaivosolo.

Tags: Botswana

50 kroner (US$9.60). Like Pick 60, but new date (20)07 and new signatures.



200 kroner (US$38.45). Like Pick 62, but new date (20)07 and new signatures.

Courtesy of Christof Zellweger.

Tags: Denmark

10 dollars (US$5.10). Like Pick 68, but new date (1st SEPTEMBER 2007) and new signatures.

Tags: Belize

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Barbados:

Pick 1
Pick 3
Pick 5
Pick 6
Pick 35
Pick 35B
Pick 52
$100 issued 20 April 2009
specimens of all notes

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Barbados

The following 25-som note from Uzbekistan is dated 1994 and depicts the Kazi-Zadé Rumi mausoleum in the Shakhi-Zinda necropolis in Samarkand, which also appears on the issued note of the same denomination (Pick 77). However, the note with the specimen serial number of AB1234567 is printed on smaller (120 x 62 mm versus 144 x 68 mm) paper than the issued note. The paper has the same star pattern watermark and solid security thread as the 1- and 3-som notes (Pick 73 and 74).

This appears to be an unissued design, but anyone with additional information is encouraged to share. I’m especially interested to learn if there are other unadopted designs for this series of notes.





Courtesy of Peter Kelly.

Tags: Uzbekistan

500 taka (US$7.30). Like P38, but new date (2009), new signature Atiur Rahman, Governor, and with a monochrome (not two-tone) denomination in the upper left front.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana and Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Bangladesh

10 rupees (US$0.20), 2009. Like P95, but new date (2009), and new signature (Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor since 06.09.2008).

Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: India

20 rupees (US$0.40), 2009. Like P96, but new date (2009), new signature (Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor since 06.09.2008), and E inset letter.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: India

50 rupees (US$1.00), 2009. Like P97, but new date (2009), and new signature (Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor since 06.09.2008).

Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: India

500 rupees (US$10.30), 2009. Like P99, but new date (2009), new signature (Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor since 06.09.2008), and R inset letter.

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: India

1,000 rupees (US$20.55), 2009. Like P100, but new date (2009), new signature (Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor since 06.09.2008), and R inset letter.

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: India

On 24 August 2009, the Central Bank of Armenia introduced a new 100,000-dram (US$264) note, now the largest denomination in this Eurasian nation.


Front: Royal flag depicting Jesus Christ; King Abgar V of Edessa; 1st-century regional map; crown; ancient coin. Back: Castles; disciple Thaddeus handing canvas of royal flag to King Abgar V; river. Kinegram foil stripe. Solid security thread and Cleartext windowed security thread with demetalized AMD 100000. Watermark: King Abgar V; electrotype 10000 and cross of king’s crown. Printer: (TDLR).

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Thomas Augustsson and Armen Hovsepian.

Tags: Armenia

50 pesos (US$4.55), 28 ABR. 2008. Like Pick 122b, but Series J, new date, and new signatures (Jose Julian Sidaoui Dib and Raul Valdes Ramons). Polymer.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of St. Helena:

Pick 1
Pick 2
Pick 3
Pick 4

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: St. Helena

20 pisos (US$0.40). Like Pick 182i, but date now has suffix (2008 A).

Courtesy of Rodney Hall.

Tags: Philippines

La Banque de la République du Burundi has introduced new 500- (US$0.40) and 1,000-franc (US$0.80) notes, both dated 01-05-09 and bearing the same signature combinations. The designs are the same as Pick 38 and Pick 39, respectively, but the sizes have been reduced to 132 x 67 mm and 137 x 69 mm.



Courtesy of Richard Miranda and Rui Manuel Palhares.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Burundi notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Burundi

On 11 August 2009, Danmarks Nationalbank issued a new 50-kroner (US$9.50) note, the first in a new Danish series intended to make it even more difficult to counterfeit or copy genuine banknotes. Among the new security features is Crane’s windowed Motion thread on the back, which was first used by Sweden and is now incorporated in Mexico’s high-denomination notes. Another feature is a new, sophisticated hologram on the front that reflects light in different colors. The new banknotes will also have the traditional security features such as a watermark with electrotype 50, a solid security thread, and Omron rings.

The theme of the new banknotes is Danish bridges and the surrounding landscapes, or details from these landscapes. The artist Karin Birgitte Lund has chosen to interpret this theme in two ways: bridges as links between various parts of Denmark and as links between the past and the present. The present is represented by the bridges, the past by five distinctive prehistoric objects found near the bridges.

The front of the 50-kroner note depicts the Sallingsund Bridge. The back features a Skarpsalling vessel in a field and a map at right.



Courtesy of Alessio Amato and Paul D. Walters.

Tags: Denmark

100 taka (US$1.45). Like Pick 49, but new date (2009) and G9 signature of Salehuddin Ahmed.

Courtesy of Mohammed J. Islam.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Bangladesh notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Bangladesh

500 rupees (US$9.65), 2009. Like P93, but new date, new signature (Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor since 06.09.2008), and no inset letter.

Courtesy of Dr. Manjunath P. Iyer.

Tags: India

This 50-ringgit note is like the preceding commemorative issue of 2007, but without the 50th anniversary logo and RM 1957-2007 text on the back. Furthermore, the windowed thread is color-shifting and wider, the governor’s signature is larger, and the numeral 50 is printed in two-color fluorescent ink on the back.


B49 (PNL): 50 ringgit (US$14.25)
Green-blue. Front: National flower hibiscus; songket weaving patterns; Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Back: Oil palm trees; microbiology technology; Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj declaring independence. Holographic stripe. Red-to-green windowed security thread with demetalized BNM RM50. Watermark: Rahman with electrotype 50. Printer: (G&D). 145 x 69 mm. No date. Signature 6. Intro: 15.07.2009. Replacement notes: Prefix ZB.

Courtesy of Kai Hwong.

Tags: Malaysia

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Slovakia:

Pick 5a (dark paper)
Pick 5b (white paper)
Pick 9A

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Slovakia

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Comoros:

Pick A1
Pick 1
Pick 1A
Pick 1B
Pick 1C
Pick 2a
Pick 4a dated 30-6-1950

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Comoros

On 22 June 2009, the Central Bank of Tunisia introduced a new 5-dinar (US$3.70) note. The note is similar to Pick 86, but with new date (2008), new signatures, vertical serial number at right, windowed security thread, Omron rings, more durable paper, elements for the sight-impaired, UV printing, electrotype 5 watermark and Cornerstones. Printed by TDLR without imprint.




Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Tunisia

On 11 August 2009, Danmarks Nationalbank issued a new 50-kroner (US$9.50) note, the first in a new Danish series intended to make it even more difficult to counterfeit or copy genuine banknotes. Among the new security features is Crane’s Motion thread, which was first used by Sweden and is now incorporated in Mexico’s high-denomination notes. Another feature is a new, sophisticated hologram that reflects light in different colours. The new banknotes will also have the traditional security features such as the watermark and the hidden security thread.

The theme of the new banknotes is Danish bridges and the surrounding landscapes, or details from these landscapes. The artist Karin Birgitte Lund has chosen to interpret this theme in two ways: bridges as links between various parts of Denmark and as links between the past and the present. The present is represented by the bridges, the past by five distinctive prehistoric objects found near the bridges. Designs of the notes can be seen here.

When will the new banknotes be issued?
The expected schedule for introducing the new banknotes is as follows:

• 50 kroner: 11 August 2009 – depicting the Sallingsund Bridge and the Skarpsalling vessel

• 100 kroner: May 2010 – depicting the old Little Belt Bridge and the Hindsgavl dagger

• 200 kroner: October 2010 – depicting Knippelsbro and a belt-plate from Langstrup

• 500 kroner: February 2011 – depicting Queen Alexandrine's Bridge and the bronze vessel from Keldby

• 1,000 kroner: May 2011 – depicting the Great Belt Bridge and the Sun Chariot

What is being done for the visually impaired?
In the interests of the blind and partially sighted, the 100- and 200-krone banknotes will have embossed print to make it easier to distinguish them from each other. Like the current series, the banknotes will differ in size, which is also helpful to the blind and partially sighted.

Tags: Denmark

The following note dated 28.11.1975 is a recently-discovered unissued 100-ouguiya specimen, printed by TDLR without imprint, but this specimen bears the TDLR oval overprints in opposing corners on front and back.

Anyone with additional information about this specimen is encouraged to share same.

FYI, an unissued 200-ouguiya specimen dated 1977-6-29, also printed by TDLR, has been confirmed, but I am seeking the owner of same so that I may obtain suitable images to share.



Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Mauritania notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Mauritania

Following the 1 August 2009 death of former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is considering adding her portrait to the 500-piso (US$10.50) note which has featured a portrait of her husband and former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. since 20 August 1987. If approved, the new note would be available in the last quarter of 2010.

Tags: Philippines

10 quetzales (US$1.20). Like P111, but new date (11 DE ENERO DE 2007) and new signatures.


20 quetzales (US$2.40). Like P112, but new date (24 DE ENERO DE 2007) and new signatures.

Courtesy of Kai Hwong.

Tags: Guatemala

The Bank of Guatemala has announced it will introduce a new 200-quetzal (US$24.25) note in November 2009 in response to high demand and counterfeiting rate of the existing 100-quetzal note, which will also be issued with improved security in September or October. The Q200 will be printed by the German firm Giesecke & Devrient, whereas the Q100 will be printed by the Dutch company Joh Enschedé Banknotes. The notes will have over 20 security features, including special paper, UV ink, latent image, OVI, security thread, holographic patch, and laser printing.

Tags: Guatemala

100 lari (US$60). Like Pick 74, but new date (2008) and new signatures.

Courtesy of Peter Kelly.

Tags: Georgia

100 taka (US$1.45). Like Pick 49, but new date (2009) and new signature of Atiur Rahman, who took over as governor on 01.05.2009.

Courtesy of Mirsad Delic.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of severa Bangladesh notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Bangladesh

The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has suggested that Banco Central de Bolivia print banknotes with images of indigenous heroes, coca, and archaeological sites in the South American country, as part of its policy of "decolonization." Among those proposed to be depicted on the new notes are Bartolina Sisa and Tupac Katari, heroes who rose against the Spanish colony in the 18th century. The proposal also suggests depicting natural sites, such as mountains of Bolivia, that are sacred to indigenous peoples. If the bank adopts the proposals, new notes could be issued as early as 2011-2012.

Tags: Bolivia

I’ve received confirmation from the Bank of the Lao PDR that in November it began withdrawing the 1,000-kip (US$0.10) note which it had introduced just this past October. The bank representative stated only that it was done at “the government’s discretion,” because the note depicts three actual people based upon photographs, not an artist’s rendering of representative women. This low-cost note is not likely to become a modern rarity, but you may want to pick one up for your collection while supplies last and prices are low.

Tags: Laos

2,000 shillings (US$1.50). Like Pick 37, but new signatures opf the minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mustafa Mkulo, and Governor Benno Ndulu.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts and

Tags: Tanzania

1,000 livres (US$0.65). Like Pick 84, but new date (2008).
 
Courtesy of Rui Palhares.

Tags: Lebanon

10 maloti (US$1.55), 2009. Like Pick 15, but new date (2009), new signature (E. M. Matekane, GOVERNOR), and Cornerstone watermarks.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Lesotho

10 rupees (US$0.15). Like Pick 45, but new date (2008).

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.

Tags: Pakistan

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Maldives:

Pick 6a ١٩٥١ - ١٣٧٠ (1951/AH1370). Signature 1.
Pick 7a ١٩٥١ - ١٣٧٠ (1951/AH1370). Signature 1.

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Maldives

50-tögrög (
Like Pick 64, but new date (2008) and new signature.

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Monglian notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Mongolia

Solomon Islands 5-, 10-, and 100-dollar notes have been confirmed with a new signature combination (Governor, Rick N. Houenipwela; Secretary Finance, Luma Darcy). Please share images of the 2-, 20-, and 50-dollar notes with this combo if you have them.

Denton Hehenoro Rarawa took over as governor on 22.08.2008, so another signature combination may be expected soon.



Courtesy of Gylfi Snorrason.

Tags: Solomon Islands

500 francs. Like Pick 19, but new signature variety of Yves Roland-Billecart and Marcel Theron, which would seem to come between signatures 3 and 4. This combo has also been confirmed for the 1,000-franc note. If anyone has it on the 100-franc note, please send scans.



Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: New Hebrides

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Solomon Islands:

Pick 1
Pick 2
Pick 3
Pick 4
Pick 5 specimen
Pick 6 specimen with signature 2
Pick 7 specimen
Pick 11 specimen
Pick 12 specimen
Pick 18 specimen

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Solomon Islands

1 pound (US$1.65). No date (2009). Like Pick 26, but new prefix (AEC).

Courtesy of Michael Reissner.

Tags: Jersey

The following 100-rupee remainder note from Burma has recently been reported. It is dated 1st January 1948 and looks identical to Pick 37, but is without serial numbers. Please contact me if you have additional information about this note or other unlisted remainders from Burma so that I can include them in my catalog.



Courtesy of Rodney Hall.

Tags: Burma

100 pesos (US$7.50). Like Pick 118, but new date (28 ABR. 2008) and new signatures (Governor, Guillermo Ortíz Martínez; Chief Cashier, Raul Valdes).



Courtesy of Ricardo Ramirez Gonzalez.

Tags: Mexico

According to a 27 July 2009 article in The New Light of Myanmar, the official English-language newspaper of the Asian country formerly known as Burma, old banknotes “can be exchanged for new ones provided that the note is in specified condition at notes changing counter of Central Bank of Myanmar at No (198/ 199) at the corner of Bo Sun Pak Street and Strand Road and respective branches of Myanma Economic Bank. Arrangements have been made for exchange of old notes for new ones, ranging from K 10 to K 200 notes.”

This is a rather curious announcement as most central banks cull worn notes from circulation as a matter of course. It does not appear that Myanmar is introducing new designs, even though its note family is overdue for a change; Interpol recommends central banks modify security features every seven years or so. The last time Myanmar changed its notes was in 2004, when the 500- and 1,000-kyat notes were reduced in size. All other denominations have remained unchanged since the mid-1990s.

Tags: Myanmar

20 rupees (US$0.25). Like Pick 46, but new date (2008).

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.

Tags: Pakistan

50 dollars (US$25.65). Like Pick 70, but new date (1st FEBRUARY 2009) and new signatures. This is the first note I’ve seen signed by the new governor, Glenford Ysaguirre, who assumed the office in October 2008. If anyone has other new dates or signatures, please send scans.

Tags: Belize

On 9 July 2009, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) introduced 12 million banknotes with an overprint commemorating 60 years of central banking. The overprint appears on the watermark area on all six circulating denominations: 20-, 50-; 100-; 200-; 500-, and 1,000-piso.

Tags: Philippines

Collector Kevin Forbes has reported an interesting Bank of Scotland note dated 17th JULY 1968 (Pick 109a) with serial number prefix A/1 which is predominantly green in color as opposed to the “correct” color ochre as listed in the SCWPM, seen on the same notes with serial number prefix A/3 below. Both notes are scanned on the same equipment using the same settings, so the color variance as shown is true. The question is whether this is a unique error note, or if the bank subtly changed the color of this denomination over time to distinguish it from the green 5-pound note of the same series. Anyone who collects Scotland is encouraged to check their notes for examples close to the A/1 0250641 serial number to determine if there are other notes that exhibit this color scheme. If anyone has an explanation, please share your theories by posting a comment.





Courtesy of Kevin Forbes.

Tags: Scotland

The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic has already introduced new 20-, 50-, 100-, and 5,000-som banknotes in 2009, all of which were produced by the French security printer, Oberthur Technologies, without imprint. I have recently received word from a well-placed source that 200-, 500-, and 1,000-som notes printed by De La Rue are scheduled for introduction in 2010. These denominations will complete the fourth issues from the Kyrgyz Republic’s central bank.

Tags: Kyrgyzstan

On 19 July 2009, the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran introduced a new 5,000-rial (US$0.50) banknote with images of Omid, Iran’s first domestically-produced research and telecommunications satellite, which was launched into space on February 3. "In order to commemorate its achievements in space sciences the government has given permission to the central bank to use pictures of the Omid satellite and its rocket launcher on both banknotes and coins," the Abrar newspaper said.



The new undated note measures 154 x 75 mm and features a portrait of Imam Khomeini on front and the Omid satellite and earth on back. The watermark is of Khomeini, with a 0.5-mm wide windowed security thread with demetalized denomination in Persian and Latin.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ali Nasseri.

Tags: Iran

Some Canadian 10-dollar notes printed in 2007 with the Jenkins-Dodge signature combination were printed on paper intended for 20-dollar notes. They therefore have Queen Elizabeth's portrait and the number 20 as the watermark, a security thread with demetalized "Canada 20", and the holographic stripe with the number 20. There are at least three ranges of the error notes with prefixes BTT and BTU. Six notes have been confirmed so far, though there could be many more notes in circulation.

For more information, please visit Canadian Paper Money.

Tags: Canada, Error

The SCWPM lists two date varieties for the 10-rufiyaa from Maldives (Pick 19): 1998 and 2006. As it turns out, there are actually two varieties dated 1998. The difference is that the first variety has the printer imprint of DE LA RUE at bottom center on back, whereas the second variety is without the imprint, as is the 2006 note. The transition from with to without imprint appears to take place between serial number prefixes C and D, although this has not been confirmed.



Courtesy of Bill Stubkjaer.

Tags: Maldives

The SCWPM lists three date varieties for the 5-rufiyaa from Maldives (Pick 18): 1998, 2000, and 2006. As it turns out, there are actually two varieties dated 2000. The difference is that the first variety has the printer imprint of DE LA RUE at bottom center on back, as does the 1998 note, whereas the second variety is without the imprint, as is the 2006 note. The transition from with to without imprint appears to take place between serial number prefixes E and F, although this has not been confirmed.



Courtesy of Bill Stubkjaer.

Tags: Maldives

The following 20-dollar note (Pick 30) from Guyana shows Lawrence Williams signing as GOVERNOR (ag) on a note with prefix B/57, followed by a prefix B/64 note with the title as GOVERNOR. As far as I know, the Williams/Kowlessar signature combination appears only on the $20, $100, and $1,000 notes, although the GOVERNOR (ag) title has been confirmed on the $20 only. If anyone can provide scans of other notes with this signature combination, please do so.




Courtesy of Bill Stubkjaer.

Tags: Guyana

100 dirhams (US$27.20), 2008. Like Pick 30, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of Peter Symes.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

On 20 July 2009, the Bank of Albania issued a revised 200-lek (US$2.20) note dated 2007 (in small type at right center on back) and printed by TDLR without imprint. Like Pick 67, but It has Cornerstone watermarks and new signatures.




Courtesy of Michael Reissner.

Tags: Albania

New 20-, 50-, and 100-som banknotes were introduced by the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic on 1 July 2009.

According to the assistant president of the Kyrgyz National Bank, Zair Chokoev, “We retained the style of our banknotes but tried to make them more convenient. Notes of the third series were too large and inconvenient to use. And we decided to reduce their size,” Zair Chokoev said. The new fourth series will slowly replace the notes of the third series.


20 som (US$0.45)
Red. Front: Togolok Moldo. Back: Tash-Rabat. 120 x 58 mm.



50 som (US$1.15)
Orange. Front: Kurmanjan Datka. Back: Uzgen architectural complex. 126 x 61 mm.



100 som (US$2.30)
Blue. Front: Toktogul Satylganov. Back: Toktogul hydroelectric power station. 132 x 63 mm.

Courtesy of Vadim Tislenko.

Tags: Kyrgyzstan

The Fuzhou Branch of the People’s Bank of China denied rumors that a new 500-yuan (US$73.20) note will be released by November 2009. Fueled by fears of inflation, rumors of the new banknote have been floating around since 2006. Wei Guoqi, a senior official at the People’s Bank of China, declared “it's not true,” and stated that no formal notice about the introduction of any new banknotes had been received. Images of the purported new note bearing a portrait of Deng Xiaoping are considered a hoax.

Tags: China

50 pounds (US$82.10)
Like Pick 225, but new date (9th JANUARY 2006) and new signature (David Thorburn).

Courtesy of Kai Hwong.

Tags: Scotland

The following notes have been confirmed dated 2009 and signed by Chukwuma “Charles” Soludo, GOVERNOR and Ben Onyido, DIRECTOR OF CURRENCY AND BRANCH OPERATIONS. If anyone has other denominations dated 2009, please send scans of same so that I can share them with others.

Incidentally, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Aminu Sanusi formally took over as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on 4 June 2009. He assumes the post from Ernest Ebi, the acting governor. As such, it’s reasonable to expect that new signature varieties will be forthcoming.


10 naira (US$0.05)
Like Pick 33, but new date (2009).


20 naira (US$0.15)
Like Pick 34, but new date (2009).


100 naira (US$0.65)
Like Pick 28, but new date (2009).


500 naira (US$3.60)
Like Pick 30, but new date (2009).

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn and Arigo Avbovbo.

Tags: Nigeria

The governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Tito Mboweni, is scheduled to step down in November. Mboweni, the first black man in the formerly racially segregated South Africa to have his signature on a South African banknote, is to be replaced by Gill Marcus, chairwoman of the South African commercial bank Absa. Mboweni has held the post of governor since 1999. His departure clears the way for a new signature variety for South Africa.

Tags: South Africa

This 50-franc note is like Pick 22a, dated 15.5.1968, but the signature titles are L’ADMINISTRATEUR and LE PRESIDENT. According to the SCWPM, this date should have titles as LE VICE-PRESIDENT and LE PRESIDENT. If anyone has this note with the titles as described in the SCWPM, please send scans to confirm.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.



Courtesy of Christos.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Burundi notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Burundi

On 15 May 2009, the Bank of Albania issued a revised 5,000-lek (US$55) note dated 2007 (in small type at lower right on back) and printed by TDLR without imprint. It has Cornerstone watermarks, a holographic patch, demetalized windowed security thread, and new signatures.




Courtesy of Christof Zellweger and Michael Reissner.

Tags: Albania

The Reserve Bank of India will soon introduce a 100-rupee (US$2.05) note with F inset letter in both numbering panels in the Mahatma Gandhi Series.

Additional information and images requested.

Tags: India

10 dinars (US$14.10), 2007. Like Pick 36, but new date.

Courtesy of Michael Reissner.

Tags: Jordan

The 10-lari note dated 2002 (Pick 71) has been discovered to have an error in the spelling of the denomination on the back. Specifically, it was incorrectly spelled “Fen Lari” (middle image) instead of “Ten Lari” (bottom image). This mistake was corrected in later printings also dated 2002.

Courtesy of Vadim Tislenko and Thomas Augustsson.

Tags: Georgia

On 15 July .2009, Bank Negara Malaysia introduced a new design 50-ringgit (US$14) banknote. This new design of RM50 banknote is the first denomination of the Fourth Series of Malaysian currency notes which will be replacing the existing series in stages.The earlier new design of RM50 banknote (images below) was issued in December 2007 to commemorate Malaysia's 50th Anniversary of Independence. This current series no longer has the logo of the country's golden jubilee celebrations at upper right on back and has the following enhanced security features:

• The Colour Shifting Security Thread which replaces the existing security thread and is embedded in the paper. The thread appears on the reverse side of the note as coloured intermittent lines. When held against light, it is seen as a continuous dark coloured line and the repeated text of BNM RM50 can be read. When the note is tilted, the colour of the thread changes from red to green and vice versa. Under ultra-violet light, the repeated text of BNM RM50 will fluoresce yellow and the thread is seen as a continuous fluorescent yellow line when the banknote is viewed from the obverse.

• The Two-Coloured Fluorescent Elements is an additional invisible printed feature on the reverse of the note. Under ultra-violet light, a complex design two-colour numeral 50 will fluoresce.
• The existing security features which are designed for public verification remains as follows:

• The Watermark Portrait can be recognised by tints that are lighter or darker than the surrounding paper. This watermark portrait which has a three-dimensional effect appears without sharp outlines. At the base of the watermark, the numeral 50 is clearly visible.
• Perfect See-Through Register features the songket design on the obverse and reverse of the banknote when it is held against the light.
• Invisible Fluorescent Elements of the background on the obverse and reverse of the banknote which fluoresces in different colours under ultra-violet light.
• Micro-Letterings of "BNM RM50" which can be viewed under a magnifying glass.
• Holographic Stripe features the numeral 50 and hibiscus flower.
• Multicolor Latent Image where the numeral 50 is visible when the banknote is tilted slightly and changes colour when it is rotated.
• Anti-Scanner feature in which certain design cannot be captured by scanning machines.
• Braille Feature for the visually impaired.

Additional information and images requested.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Malaysia notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.





Courtesy of Hon H. Mak.

Tags: Malaysia

50 baht (US$1.45). Like Pick 112 but new signatures of Korn Chatikavanij (กรณ์ จาติกวณิช, Minister of Finance) and Tharisa Watthanaket (ธาริษา วัฒนเกส, Governor ).



Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.

Tags: Thailand

5 taka (US$0.05), 2009. Like Pick 46, but new date and solid security thread. Signature: Salehuddin Ahmed.



Courtesy of Thomas Augustsson.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of severa Bangladesh notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Bangladesh

2,000 rupees (US$17.40). Like Pick 121, but new date (2006-07-03) and new signatures.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Sri Lanka

Centrale Bank van Aruba has issued 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-florin notes dated 1 juli 2008 with the new signature combination of Jeanette R. Semeleer as DIRECTEUR and Hassanali Mehran as PRESIDENT. Aside from the date and signature, everything else about the notes appears unchanged from the preceding issues of 2003, except the demetalized text on the windowed security thread is slightly different.

The 500-florin denomination was apparently not updated, but I am awaiting confirmation from the central bank.





Courtesy of Wally Myers.

Tags: Aruba

According to a BuinessMirror report dated 8 July 2009, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is planning to replace its existing abaca-and-cotton banknotes with polymer notes. Deputy BSP governor and officer in charge, Armando Suratos, provided no details on the timing of such a move, but stated that it would result in savings over the long term as polymer notes outlast paper notes in circulation even though they are initially more costly to produce. No further details are available at this time.

Tags: Philippines, Polymer

All denominations from Afghanistan (10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 afghanis) have been confirmed issued with the new date of 1383H (2004). The smaller denominations appear to be new date/signature varieties only, but the designs of the 500- and 1,000-afghani notes have been altered at left on front and back and are deserving of new type numbers.






Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Afghanistan

I’m researching an interesting 1998 note variety for Guinea. As you can see, both 500-franc notes (Pick 36) shown below are dated 1998. However, the note with the AO prefix has a signature variety that’s different from the signature combination on the note with the FB prefix. The odd thing about this discovery is that the second combo is found on all other denominations in the 1998 series, as well as the 1985 series before it, and the 2006-present series.

The SCWPM doesn’t include any mention of signature varieties for Guinea, but my new catalog does. I have seen it on the 100-franc note from 1998 (prefix AT), but not on the 1,000- or 5,000-franc notes (both AA). So, if you have this (or any other previously unlisted variety) signature on other notes, please send me 300-dpi scans of same.

I’d also appreciate any help in explaining this short-lived signature combination, as well as identification of the signatories by name.

Finally, I notice that the 15th edition of the SCWPM has drastically dropped the values for Guinea specimens P13-P15 as well as P20-P28. If anyone has any thoughts on the accuracy of the new pricing, I’m all ears.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Guinea notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.





Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Guinea

2,000 forint (US$10.20), 2008. Like Pick 190, but new date, new signatures, and Omron rings.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Hungary

Pam West, a dealer who specializes in British notes, sends word that Guernsey has issued a £20 (US$32) with the signature of Bethan Haines as CHIEF ACCOUNTANT. The first prefix is C900001. The note is like Pick 58, but the wording on the back is darker, the righthand underprint is moved 5 mm to the right. The note has a new 1.4-mm StarDust windowed security thread and a new watermark with a larger portrait which has more contrast. Also there are Cornerstone watermarks in the four corners. The Guernsey Fresian is depicted as a shape in silver foil, overprinted with Intaglio ink. The undated note bears a new imprint of DE LA RUE. According to visitor Kai, this note was introduced 04.06.2009.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Pam West.

Tags: Guernsey

According to a Reuters news item dated 24 March 2008, El Banco Central de Chile plans to issue a new family of notes to commemorate 200 years of independence. According to a La Tecera report dated 19 December 2008, the first of the new family of notes will be introduced in the second half of 2009, with subsequent denominations issued over the course of two years. The new family will have the same denominations and feature the same personages as the existing family, but with different sizes and improved security features. Furthermore, three denominations will be printed on polymer and two on paper.

Courtesy of Cleophas Elmakias Schockemohle and Thomas Krause.

Tags: Chile, Polymer

The German security printer Giesecke & Devrient was selected by Banco de Guatemala to manufacture the new 200-quetzal notes slated for introduction December 2009 to January 2010. A total of Q10 billion notes will be produced at a cost of Q0.49 each, for a total contract worth $3,090,000.

Tags: Guatemala

On 1 January 2009, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan issued a new series of notes. Reports vary, however, as to whether the 500-manat note was issued at that time. If anyone can send 300-dpi scans of the front and back of the issued note, I would appreciate it very much.


500 manat
Blue. Front: Holographic patch; map; coat of arms; President Saparmurat Niyazov. Back: Kipchak mosque in Ashgabat; five stars and crescent moon. Windowed security thread with demetalized 500 MANAT. Watermark: President Saparmurat Niyazov., flag, and electrotype 500. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 156 x 78 mm. 2009. Signature 4.

Tags: Turkmenistan

The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic introduced a 5,000-som note (US$122) on 2 March 2009. The front of the note features a portrait of actor, writer, and sportsman Suimenkul Chokmorov. On the back is Ala-Too, one of the oldest cinemas of the capital city of Bishkek. Previously the largest denomination was the 1,000-som note issued in 2000.



Courtesy of Cleophas Elmakias Schockemohle and Peter Kelly.

Tags: Kyrgyzstan

This 20-dinar (US$16) note was introduced 3 March 2009.



Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: Libya

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a 100-rupee (US$2) note with R inset letter, dated 2009, with the signature of RBI governor D. Subbarao.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: India

500 francs (US$6.20), ND (2003-). Like Pick 1, but new signatures as follows:

Le Directeur Général - Alain Vienney
Le Présidente du Conseil de Surveillance - Jean-Pierre Landau
Le Directeur - Patrick Besse

The 5,000- and 10,000-franc notes have also been confirmed with this new signature combo:



Furthermore, in late 2008 the 1,000-franc note was issued with the same signatories, except that Le Directeur Général was still Jean-Michel Severino:



Courtesy of Krassimir Dimitrov and Rui Palhares.

Tags: French Pacific Territories

20 dollars (US$16.10), (20)08. Like Pick 59, but new date and new signatures (Glenn R. Stevens, Governor; Dr. Ken Henry, Secretary to the Treasury).

The Reserve Bank of Australia has apparently printed all denominations dated 2008, so all will eventually appear in circulation, though only the 20-, 50-, and 100-dollar notes have been confirmed to date.

Courtesy of Scott de Young.

Tags: Australia, Polymer

In trying to complete my catalog chapter for Tanzania, I have managed to compile images of every note type and variety with the exception of Pick 20a. According to the SCWPM, this 200-shilling note was issued in 1992 with the modified portrait of President Ali Hassan Mwinyi (see P20b below, with signature 8) and signature 7 of Cleopa David Msuya and Gilman Rutihinda (shown at bottom below, taken from P18b).

I have searched every web site and dealer inventory list I have at my disposal and yet have never been able to find Tanzania Pick 20a. So, is this yet another example of Krause including a listing for a note that doesn’t exist as described, or can someone please confirm it was actually issued by sending a scan of same? I welcome any and all input or leads for a definitive answer.

Tags: Tanzania

The following note is a previously unlisted specimen of Pick 35a dated 1942.



Courtesy of Christoph Thomas.

Tags: Curacao

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Mauritania:

Pick 4: 100 ouguiya dated 28.11.1983
Pick 6: 500 ouguiya dated 28.11.1989
Pick 7: 1,000 ouguiya dated 28.11.1989

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Mauritania

The following note dated 28.11.1981 is a recently-discovered unissued 1,000-ouguiya specimen, apparently printed by G&D without imprint. Taking into consideration that the new SCWPM lists another unissued specimen dated 1977-6-26 by TDLR (Pick 3A), it appears plausible that Banque Centrale de Mauritanie had put out a tender for security printers to propose new designs to replace the 1974 series of notes. Neither of these specimens were approved, and the old series continued in use with date and signature changes through 2002.

Anyone with additional information about either of these specimens is encouraged to share same. I’m particularly interested in identifying the bearded man in the portrait of this note; it’s the same image used as the watermark for all notes except the original 1973 series. Also, can anyone translate the signature titles magnified below?





Courtesy of Weldon D. "Burt" Burson.

Tags: Mauritania

Visitor Dr. Manjunath P. Iyer from India sent me the following report of a new “banknote” that I had not heard of before:

DETAILS OF THE BANKNOTE...
Country NEDERLAND
Value 1 RAAM
Main Colour Yellow & Green
Obverse Lord RAM
Reverse The Holy Cow Kamadhenu,Kalpavriksha(Wish fulfilling Tree),Mararishi University building,Flag with Sun.
Date of issue Vijaya Dashami(Victory Day), October 26, 2001
Governor Benjamin Feldman

The Raam, or the World Peace Bond as it is also known, was launched on October 26, 2001 by Maharishi Global Financing, one of the financial arms of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of Transcendental Meditation (TM) to become "the global development currency of the global country of world peace."
The Raam is considered a key element in the programs of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi "to promote a balanced world economy, reduce poverty, and create world peace," according to Dr. Benjamin Feldman, Minister of Finance of the Global Country of World Peace. 200 Million Euros worth of the notes were printed, by the same company that prints the Euro in Holland.
The Raam is a bond, issued in denominations of 1, 5 and 10 Raams, with one Raam equal to 10 Euros in Europe, or 10 US Dollars in America. It is convertible in Holland at the Fortis Bank in Roermond, Holland, or in the Maharishi Vedic City in Iowa.
According to Maharishi Global Financing, "agreements have recently been made, for instance, with a farmers' association in South America and with traditional leaders in Africa to start using the RAAM as the Farmers' Currency for agricultural development projects. The RAAM will act as a catalyst in the field of economy, enabling the development projects to start, and transforming itself into hard currency after the export of the crops."
That said, the Raam is promoted as a tool to "reduce poverty in the world", to "create peace" and to network a "global chamber of commerce to increase unity through economic development", and the "cultivation of agricultural lands producing healthy organic food", among other inducements for people to purchase Raam Bonds. Dr. Feldman continues, "There are 1.5 billion people living in extreme poverty and currencies like the US dollar are not available to most of them. The raam can be used to build new houses, roads, schools and health clinics," Mr Feldman said. These results have yet to be seen.



Courtesy of Dr. Manjunath P. Iyer.

Tags: Netherlands

1 peso (US$1), 2008. Like Pick 121, but new date.

Courtesy of Dr. Manjunath P. Iyer.

Tags: Cuba

1,000 pesos oro (US$27.80), 2009. Like Pick 173, but new date and new signatures.

If anyone can confirm the names of the signatories, please share that information.

Courtesy of Jean-Michel Engels.

Tags: Dominican Republic

The following 50- and 100-birr notes are identical to Pick 51 and 52, respectively, except for the new date of 2008. According to the National Bank of Ethiopia, the other denominations were not and will not be issued with this date.

Please note that the AK prefix on the 50-birr note (US$4.40) represents an overlap in serial prefixes with the 2006 date, which is available in AK and in AL. Normally prefixes in Ethiopian notes continue the progression (the only other example of this that I know of is 100-birr Pick 34 where the serial prefixes for varieties a and b overlap).

For the current designs, replacement notes (AZ) have been confirmed for 100-birr notes (US$8.80) dated 2000 and 2004. If anyone has information regarding other replacements, please send an email with scans to confirm.





Courtesy of Chris Hall.

Tags: Ethiopia

The following 20-, 100-, and 1,000-baht notes were issued in 2009 and feature new signatures of Korn Chatikavanij (Finance Minister) and Tharisa Watthanakase (Governor).









Courtesy of Lars Kersten.

Tags: Thailand

This 50-baht (US$1.45) specimen with commemorative overprint was issued on 1 November 2004 to commemorate the inauguration of the Note Printing Works. The banknote comes in a blue folder. This note exists only as a specimen; there is no regular issue with this overprint (shown below broken into two lines for legibility), which reads in English “In commemoration of the inauguration of the Banknotes Management Department of the bank of Thailand, 1 November 2004 (B.E. 2547)”:



Courtesy of Rafal Nogowczyk.

Tags: Thailand

10,000 riels (US$2.40), 2005. Like Pick 56, but new date.

Courtesy of Rafal Nogowczyk and Wally Myers.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Cambodian notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Cambodia

20,000 forint (US$102), 2008 and 2009. Like Pick 193, but new dates, new signatures, and Omron rings.

Courtesy of Christof Zellweger.

Tags: Hungary

2,000 forint (US$10.20), 2007. Like Pick 190, but new date, new signatures, and Omron rings.

Courtesy of Christof Zellweger.

Tags: Hungary

5 rupees (US$0.10), 2009. Like Pick 88A, but with date at lower center on back (previous issues were undated), new signatures, windowed security thread with demetalized text, and inset letter E.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: India

The first set of images below are Pick 92, the 10,000-ariary (US$5.10) note issued in March 2007. The second set is of a new type, as it no longer has any references to francs on the front or back. Also, the signature is new, too.





Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Madagascar

100,000 rupiah (US$9.75), 2004/2008. Like Pick 146, but new date.

Does anyone have this note with the date 2004/2006? If so, please send scans so that I can share them.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Indonesia

10,000 forint (US$50.90), 2008. Like Pick 192, but new date, new signatures, and Omron rings.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.
 
Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Hungary

100 guilders (US$55.85)
Like Pick 31, but new date (1 januari 2008).

If anyone has the 10 or 50 guilder notes with this new date, please send scans of same.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Netherlands Antilles notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Netherlands Antilles

10,000 shillings (US$4.75)
Like Pick 45, but new date (2009).

P.S. Be aware than the 15th edition of the SCWPM incorrectly includes the 2004-dated note as Pick 45a when in fact it is a variety of Pick 41. The difference between the two types is evident when examining the denomination in the lower left front.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Uganda

5,000 forint (US$25), 2008. Like Pick 191, but new date, new signatures, and Omron rings.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Hungary

500 forint (US$2.30), 2007. Like Pick 188d, but new date, new signatures, and Omron rings.

This appears to be the earliest date of this denomination with Omron rings. However, this denomination was subsequently issued dated 2008 in varieties with and without Omron rings.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Hungary

50 shillings (US$0.01)
Like Pick 7c, but new date (2002).

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Somaliland

10,000 dinars
Brown. Front: Presidential Palace building in Khartoum; leaf; frond. Back: Wheat; coat of arms; water jugs; unknown building with palm trees. Windowed security thread with demetalized BANK OF SUDAN and Arabic text. Watermark: Domed building. Printer: Unknown. 140 x 65 mm.
١٩٩٦ (1996). Signature TK. Specimen with diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint. Unissued.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tags: Sudan

100-tögrög (US$0.05)
Like Pick 65, but new date (2008) and new signature.

Courtesy of Michael E. Knabe.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Monglian notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Mongolia

1 quetzal (US$0.15), 12 DE MARZO DE 2008. Like Pick 109, but new date, new signatures, and new printer imprint (OBERTHUR TECHNOLOGIES). Polymer.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Guatemala, Polymer

According to a Nacion.com article dated 23 June 2009, the Banco Central de Costa Rica plans to issue a new series of notes beginning March 2010 and commencing January 2011. The new series celebrates biodiversity and will include 20,000- and 50,000-colon denominations (US$35 and $87, respectively) for the first time ever, in addition to the existing denominations (¢1,000, ¢2,000, ¢5,000, and ¢10,000).

Each note will also be a different color and feature a new personality on the front:

• ¢1,000: Red, Braulio Carrillo Colina
  ▪ ¢2,000: Blue, Mauro Fernández Acuna
  ▪ ¢5,000: Yellow, Alfredo Gonzálex Flores
  ▪ ¢10,000: Green, José Figueres Ferrer
  ▪ ¢20,000: Orange, Maria I. Carvajal “Carmen Lyra”
  ▪ ¢50,000: Purple, Ricardo Jiménez Oremuno

The 1,000-colon note will measure 125 x 67 mm, and each higher denomination will be 7 mm larger in length, culminating in the 50,000-colon note at 160 x 67 mm.

The 20,000-colone note is to be the first of the new series, scheduled for introduction in March 2010.

Tags: Costa Rica

According to a press release from the Central Bank of The Gambia, on 16 April 2009, the bank “issued into circulation new D5 and D10 banknotes [US$0.20 and 0.40]. This is the first series of banknotes issued by the Bank since the appointment of Governor Momodou Bamba Saho [on 01.08.2007] and First Deputy Governor Basiru A. O. Njai. The new notes bearing the signatures of Governor Saho and First Deputy Governor Njai, are a reprint of the current design banknotes [Pick 25 and 26]. The design and features of these banknotes are similar to the current family of new design banknotes introduced in 2006. The new D5 and D10 banknotes will circulate side by side with the current existing banknotes. All current existing banknotes continue to be legal tender.”

If anyone has the new D10 note, please send scans of same so that I can share them with others.

Tags: Gambia

2,000 pesos oro (US$55.65), 2006. Like Pick 174a, but new date and new signatures.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Dominican Republic

5,000 pesos (US$9.35), 2008. Like Pick 155f, but new date, new signatures, and the two horizontal sorting bars in lower left front are now closer together.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Chile

On 23 June 2009, the Bank of Korea issued its first-ever 50,000-won note, now the highest denomination in the country.



50,000 won (US$38.85)
Yellow and green. Front: Tree branches, grape leaf, berries, and eggplant; painter and author Shin Saim-dang. Back (vertical): Bamboo tree and Japanese apricot tree. Holographic stripe with demetalized BANK OF KOREA 50000. Windowed Motion security thread. Solid security thread with demetalized 한국은행 50000. Watermark: Shin Saim-dang and electrotype 5 within pentagon. Printer: 한국조폐공사 제조 (Korea Minting & Security Printing Corporation). 154 x 68 mm.

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several South Korean notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: South Korea

Two different new signature varieties of Pick 30 have been confirmed for Guyana’s 20-dollar note (US$0.10). The color differences seen below are due to the notes being scanned on different equipment.


Like Pick 30, but new signatures (Lawrence Williams, GOVERNOR; Saisnarine Kowlessar, MINISTER OF FINANCE). Printer: THOMAS DE LA RUE AND COMPANY LIMITED.


Like Pick 30, but new signatures (Lawrence Williams, GOVERNOR; Ashni Singh, MINISTER OF FINANCE). Printer: DE LA RUE.

The $100 and $1,000 notes have also been issued with the signature of Ashni Singh.

Courtesy of Murtaza Azeez.

P.S. Be aware that I am still looking for scans of several Guyana notes for my catalog. Please help if you can.

Tags: Guyana

According to a Business Standard article dated 3 June 2009, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering a pilot project to introduce polymer notes in an effort to increase the longevity of its banknotes, said H R Khan, executive director, RBI. The timing of the project has not yet been announced.

Tags: India, Polymer

On 29 May 2009, the Bank of England announced that it would issue a new 50-pound note in early 2011. The new £50 note (US$82) will feature portraits of 18th century entrepreneur Matthew Boulton and engineer James Watt. Bank of England Governor, Mervyn King, said, “Just as the Bank of England plays an essential role in the economy as the United Kingdom’s central bank, so too did Boulton and Watt’s steam engines and their many other innovations as essential factors in the nation’s Industrial Revolution. So many of the advantages society now enjoys are due in large part to the vital role of engineering and the brilliance and foresight of people such as Boulton and Watt whose development and refinement of steam engines gave an incredible boost to the efficiency of industry.”

“The unique and rare opportunity that the Bank has through its banknotes to acknowledge and promote awareness of our nation’s heritage of artistic, social and scientific endeavour is an honour for us. The Bank’s choice of Boulton and Watt, a reminder of the invaluable contribution from engineering and the entrepreneurial spirit to the advancement of society, I think, well reflects this.”

The Boulton and Watt £50 banknote will be the second note in the Series F family which began with the introduction of the Adam Smith £20 note on 13 March 2007. Therefore its overall appearance will be similar. But for the first time two portraits will appear together on the reverse of the note, those of Boulton and Watt, along with the image of a steam engine and the Soho (Birmingham) Manufactory. As with the Adam Smith £20 banknote however, continuity is provided with the current portrait of Her Majesty The Queen, which was first used in 1990 and which will be retained on the front of the note. Further details of the design and the range of security features to be included on the new note will be revealed when the new note is launched.

Tags: England

Krause’s 15th edition of the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, Modern Issues has been publsihed. The new 1,112-page book includes a CD with the contents in PDF format. The catalog is available immediately from Amazon.com.

Amazon sells the 15th edition of the Modern Issues catalog for $34.65.

Amazon also sells the 12th edition of the General Issues catalog for $50.40,

Amazon also sells the 2005 10th edition of the Specialized Issues catalog for $40.95.

All of the above items qualify for free Super Saver Shipping in the United States.

On 1 June 2009, the Bulgarian National Bank introduced a revised BGN 5 banknote. The new 2009 issue has the same dimensions, coloring, and graphical design as the 1999 note, with some minor changes. Both notes will circulate in parallel. In keeping with a tradition which it started following the introduction of the 100-lev note issued 8 December 2003, the bank has sold the first 100 notes (serial numbers БА 0000001 to БА 0000100) for BGN 6.6 each, a 20% premium over face value.



5 leva (US$3.55), 2009. Like Pick 116, but new date, new signatures, new holographic anti-copy stripe, new windowed security thread, added latent image, БНБ electrotype added to the watermark, and additional bifluorescence.

Courtesy of Krassimir Dimitrov, Andrew Roberts, and Stefan Tzvetkov.

Tags: Bulgaria