According to a media advisory dated 5 March 2010, “The new design for the $100 note will make its debut on Wednesday, April 21 during a ceremony at the Department of the Treasury's Cash Room. The U.S. government redesigns currency in order to stay ahead of counterfeiters and protect the public. Decisions about the redesign of each denomination are guided by the government's close evaluation of the range of ongoing counterfeit threats, whether from digital technology or traditional printing presses.”

“The unveiling of the $100 note is the first step in a global multi-government agency public education program implemented by the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board and the U.S. Secret Service, to educate those who use the $100 note about its changes before it begins circulating. The $100 note is the highest value denomination of U.S. currency in general circulation, and it circulates broadly around the world. Public education is an important component of the government's redesigned currency program because a well informed public is our first and best line of defense against counterfeiting. Free training materials for cash-handlers as well as other public education resources will be available in 25 languages at www.newmoney.gov beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT on April 21.”

Courtesy of Alan Moe.

Tags: United States

According to an article in The Globe and Mail dated 4 March 2010, Canada has announced that beginning in late 2011 it intends to replace paper-cotton banknotes with polymer notes which are reported to last “two to three times longer. The changes are intended save on the cost of printing bills – and create a currency that’s much harder to counterfeit.” Canada will rely upon Austarlia’s Securency as the sole supplier for the polymer substrate. Though there is no mention of who will print the notes, it will probably continue to be Bank of Canada and Canadian Bank Note Company. Furthermore, it appears the 10- and 20-dollar denominations will be the first to be printed on polymer.

Courtesy of Dharshan Mahalingam and Mark Allen.

Tags: Canada, Polymer

On 25 February 2010, North Carolina’s Republican Representative Patrick McHenry introduced The President Ronald Reagan $50 Bill Act, numbered H.R. 4705, which proposes replacing the portrait of the 18th president, Ulysses S. Grant, with that of the 40th president, Ronald Reagan. "Every generation needs its own heroes. One decade into the 21st century, it’s time to honor the last great president of the 20th and give President Reagan a place beside Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy," said Congressman McHenry. "President Reagan was a modern day statesman, whose presidency transformed our nation’s political and economic thinking."

Tags: United States

500 pesos (US$39.05), 28 OCT. 2008. Like Pick 120, but new date, new signatures (unknown and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (AW).

Courtesy of Rickey Stein.

Tags: Mexico

200 pesos (US$15.60), 14 MAY. 2007. New date, new signatures (Guillermo Ortiz Martínez and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (E).


200 pesos (US$15.60), 14 MAY. 2007. New date, new signatures ( Everado Elizando Almaguer and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (F).


200 pesos (US$15.60), 20 NOV. 2007. New date, new signatures (Jesús Marcos Yacamán and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (G).


200 pesos (US$15.60), 20 NOV. 2007. New date, new signatures (unknown and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (H).

Courtesy of Rickey Stein.

Tags: Mexico

200 pesos (US$15.60), 14 MAY. 2007. Like Pick 119, but new date, new signatures (José Julian Sidaoui Dib and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (DN).

Courtesy of Rickey Stein.

Tags: Mexico

100 pesos (US$7.80), 28 ABR. 2008. Like Pick 118, but new date, new signatures (unknown and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (DZ).


100 pesos (US$7.80), 28 ABR. 2008. Like Pick 118, but new date, new signatures (unknown and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (EA).


100 pesos (US$7.80), 28 ABR. 2008. Like Pick 118, but new date, new signatures (Everado Elizando Almaguer and Raúl Valdés Ramons), and new series (EB).

Courtesy of Rickey Stein.

Tags: Mexico

200 pesos (US$15.45), 15 MAY. 2007. New date, new signatures (Jesús Marcos Yacamán and Raúl Valdés Ramos), and series D.

Courtesy of Ricardo G. Ramírez.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

100 pesos (US$7.70), 20 NOV. 2007. Like Pick 108, but new date, new signatures (Jesús Marcos Yacamán and Raúl Valdés Ramos), and series DY.

Courtesy of Ricardo G. Ramírez.

Tags: Mexico

20 pesos (US$1.55), 14 MAY. 2007. New date, series E, and new signatures (Jesus Marcos Yacaman and Raul Valdes Ramons).

Courtesy of Thomas Krause and Richard Miranda.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

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

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

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

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

Courtesy of TDS.

Tags: Bermuda

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

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

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

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

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 above notes are all dated 2006 on front and printed 2008 on back. They are like preceding issues, but with a new signature combination: W.P. Jenkins and M.J. Carney. As of late May, apparently the $100 has not yet be issued with this date/signature combination.

Courtesy of Jim “Rubycored” Chen.

Tags: Canada

A new variety 20-dollar note from Bermuda has been confirmed. Pick 53a (prefix D/1) at top has a silver foil patch in the shape of an artist’s palette at lower left front, but on the new variety (prefix D/2) the foil patch has a smaller 20, and the artwork to the right includes flowers. Both notes are dated 24 MAY 2000 and have the same signature combinations, and the other security features seem to be unchanged.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: Bermuda

For everyone suffering from an overdose of frightening news reports about the H1N1 “pandemic,” I’m happy to share this humorous swine flu parody note.

Courtesy of Richard Bonkowski.

Tags: Mexico

On 20 February 2009, the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) celebrated 40 years of service, and the island of Bermuda celebrated the 400th anniversary of its settlement by British explorer Sir George Somers. The BMA is marking these landmark occasions by launching the first complete redesign of Bermuda’s banknotes since the Bermuda dollar was issued in 1969. Planning for this launch commenced in 2005, and the BMA received the permission and support of the minister of finance and the cabinet for this new design in the summer of 2007. The objectives of the launch are to update the design of the Bermuda note family, the basic design of which has been in place since 1969; to provide a distinct Bermuda design, and clearly distinguish the note family from the designs of other countries; to provide a sense of national pride and easy identification with the features by the Bermudian public; to combat counterfeiting by increasing the security features; and to issue notes that are durable in the island’s tropical climate. The new banknotes were unveiled on November 24, 2008, and were introduced on March 9, 2009. Subject to the minister of finance’s approval, the BMA is also planning to issue commemorative note and coin products celebrating the 400th anniversary of Bermuda’s settlement.


2 dollars
Turquoise. Front (vertical): QEII; bluebird; flowers; butterfly; sail boats. Back (vertical): Butterflies; compass rose; dockyard clock tower; statue of Neptune. Optiks security thread. Watermark: Hibiscus flower and electrotype sail boat. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 136 x 69 mm. 1 JANUARY 2009. Signatures: R. Alan F. Richardson and E. Barclay Simmons. Introduced 03.09.2009.


5 dollars
Pink. Front (vertical): QEII; blue marlin fish; flowers; dolphin. Back (vertical): Butterflies; bird of paradise flower; Horseshoe Bay beach; boat passing beneath Somerset bridge. Optiks security thread. Watermark: Hibiscus flower and electrotype sail boat. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 136 x 69 mm. 1 JANUARY 2009. Signature R. Alan F. Richardson and unknown. Introduced 03.09.2009.


10 dollars
Purple. Front (vertical): QEII; blue angel fish; coral; sea turtle. Back (vertical): Anchor; butterflies; ship “The Deliverance;” cannon; Commissioner’s House building in Somerset Parish. Optiks security thread. Watermark: Hibiscus flower and electrotype sail boat. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 136 x 69 mm. 1 JANUARY 2009. Signatures: R. Alan F. Richardson and Lynda Milligan-Whyte. Introduced 03.09.2009.


20 dollars
Green. Front (vertical): QEII; whistling frog; flowers; lizard. Back (vertical): Butterflies; St. Mark’s church; Gibbs Hill lighthouse in Southampton Parish. Optiks security thread. Watermark: Hibiscus flower and electrotype sail boat. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 136 x 69 mm. 1 JANUARY 2009. Signatures: R. Alan F. Richardson and unknown. Introduced 03.09.2009.


50 dollars
Yellow. Front (vertical): QEII; longtail tropic bird; flowers. Back (vertical): Butterflies; St. Peter’s church in town of St. George. Optiks security thread. Watermark: Hibiscus flower and electrotype sail boat. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 136 x 69 mm. 1 JANUARY 2009. Signatures: R. Alan F. Richardson and unknown. Introduced 03.09.2009.

Note: Shortly after the unveiling of the new note designs, ornithologist David Wingate complained that the $50 features a red-billed tropicbird instead of a local white-tailed tropicbird. BMA officials apologized for the error, but won’t change the design because they feel the red bill of the larger bird looks better against the pale yellow background than the orange of the local bird.


100 dollars
Red. Front (vertical): QEII; Red cardinal bird; flowers. Back (vertical): Butterflies; House of Assembly building in Hamilton; cahow bird. Optiks security thread. Watermark: Hibiscus flower and electrotype sail boat. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 136 x 69 mm. 1 JANUARY 2009. Signatures: R. Alan F. Richardson and Robert Steinhoff. Introduced 03.09.2009.

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 Ömer Yalcinkaya.

Tags: Bermuda

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 Netherlands Antilles:

Pick 4
Pick 5
Pick 6
Pick 18
10 guilder dated 2008
50 guilder dated 2008

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: Netherlands Antilles

200 pesos (US$18.10), 14 MAY. 2007. Like P119, but new date and series DM.

Strangely enough, the first new style 200-peso note with Motion thread is dated 15 FEB. 2007 and series A, and a variety has also been confirmed with the date 14 MAY. 2007 and series C. That means this old style note bears a date that’s subsequent to the introduction of the new style notes, and actually shares that date with a new style variety.

Courtesy of Kevin Klauss.

Tags: Mexico

200 pesos (US$18.10), 15 FEB. 2007. Introduced 08.09.2008. Green. Front: Writer Juana de Asbaje y Ramírez de Santillana (Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz); books; inkwell; pens; library window. Back: Hacienda de Panoayan; baptismal font of the church of San Vicente Ferrer in Chimalhuacán; Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhautl volcanoes. Series A. OVI, windowed Motion security thread, microtext, Omron rings, map as registration device, intaglio printing, portrait watermark with denomination as electrotype, embedded colored threads, and UV elements. 141 x 66 mm.

Tags: Mexico

50 pesos (US$4.80), 22 NOV. 2006. Like MXN50 issued November 21, 2006, but new date, series G, and new signatures (unknown, JUNTA DE GOBIERNO; Raul Valdas Ramons, CAJERO PRINCIPAL). Polymer.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

100 pesos (US$9.50), 19 JUN. 2006. Like P118, but new date and series DT.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana.

Tags: Mexico

1,000 pesos (US$93.50), 8 MAY, 2006. Introduced 07.04.2008. Rose and violet. Portrait of Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla on front, University of Guanajuato on back. Series A. Three towers of the church of Dolores Hidalgo in OVI, windowed Motion security thread, microtext, Omron rings, map as registration device, intaglio printing, portrait watermark with denomination as electrotype, embedded colored threads, and UV elements. 155 x 66 mm.

Tags: Mexico

200 pesos (US$18.10), 19 JUN. 2006. Like P119, but new date and series DK.

Courtesy of Ricardo Ramirez.

Tags: Mexico

500 pesos (US$46.70), 19 JUN. 2006 and 15 FEB. 2007. Like P120, but new dates and new signatures (Guillermo Ortiz Martinez, Junta de Gobierno; Raul Valdas Ramons, Cajero Principal).

Courtesy of Ronny Hick and Kevin Klauss.

Tags: Mexico

On October 4, 2007, the directors of the Bank of Canada announced the appointment of Mark Carney as governor for a seven-year term, effective February 1, 2008. Carney will succeed David Dodge, who is retiring. On October 11, 2007, the bank also announced that its deputy governor, Tiff Macklem, has been appointed Canada’s associate deputy minister of finance, effective November 1, 2007. The bank will begin recruiting a replacement for Macklem in January 2008. Since Canadian banknotes carry the signatures of the bank’s governor and deputy governor, collectors can expect a new signature combination as a result of these personnel changes.

Tags: Canada

5 dollars (US$5), 2006. Unveiled September 20, 2007. To be issued in “early 2008.” Green and light purple. Enlarged portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Wmk of large 5 to right of portrait, wmk of column of three smaller 5s to left of portrait. Security thread with repeating USA and 5 repositioned to right of portrait; glows blue under UV light. Omron rings. Microprinting. Signatures (Anna Escobedo Cabral, Treasurer of the United States; Henry M. Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury). Lincoln Monument on back with low-vision 5 printed in purple.

© 2007 - Neither information nor images from this site may be reproduced without permission.

Tags: United States

20 pesos (US$1.85), 19 JUN. 2006. Issued August 20, 2007. Blue, green, and brown. Series A. Don Benito Juárez García as portrait and wmk, scales of justice and open book (las Leyes de Reforma en 1859) above signatures (Guillermo Ortiz Martinez, JUNTA DE GOBIERNO; Raul Valdes Ramons, CAJERO PRINCIPAL), 20 embossed on see-through window, 20 PESOS repeated on security band, color-changing bird, microtext, map as registration device, Omron rings, and UV inks. Monte Albán pre-Columbian archaeological ruins in Oaxaca, a pendent, and Dios del Rayo mask of Zapotec deity Cocijo on back. Printer: BANCO DE MEXICO. Polymer. 120 x 66 mm.

20 pesos (US$1.85), 19 JUN. 2006. Issued August 20, 2007. Like above, but Series B and signatures (Guillermo Güemez Garcia, JUNTA DE GOBIERNO; Raul Valdes Ramons, CAJERO PRINCIPAL).

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

Winston Brown of Toronto, Ontario, has recently gone public with a dramatic example of a modern error. The $20 from 2004’s Canadian Journey series has the holographic stripe on the front right, the windowed security thread on the back right, and the watermark is upside down (compare top pair of images with normal note below).

The Bank of Canada has confirmed that the note is genuine and postulates that the error is a result of an uncut sheet of banknote paper being being rotated 180 degrees before being fed into its presses in Ottawa. Since each sheet contains 45 notes, there must have been 44 other examples of this error with serial numbers similar to that found on Brown’s note: EZM7459230. However, his note was found in circulation in 2006 (though a 2004 issue, the note is dated 2006 on the back), and Brown isn’t aware of any other similar notes that have surfaced to date. It’s possible they escaped notice and may be lost, destroyed, collected, or waiting to be discovered.

Brown intends to sell his error note via auction at some point in the future. Interested parties may contact him via email: w_brown_2007@hotmail.com.

Images courtesy of Winston Brown.

© 2009: Images may be freely reproduced.

Tags: Canada, Error

50 pesos (US$4.55), 19 Jun. 2006. Like Pick 122b, but Series E, new date, and new signatures (Jesus Marcos Yacaman, Junta de Gobierno; Raul Valdes Ramons, Cajero Principal). Polymer.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

On February 6, 2007, the Bank of Canada announced that it plans to issue the next generation of banknotes in 2011 in an attempt to stay ahead of counterfeiters.

Neither information nor images from this site may be reproduced without permission.

Tags: Canada

5 dollars, 2006. Issued November 15, 2006. Like Pick 101, but new date, new signatures (P. Jenkins, Senior Deputy Governor; and D.A. Dodge, Governor), and additional security features, including metallic holographic stripe, a watermark portrait, a windowed color-shifting security thread, a registration device, and enhanced fluorescence under UV light. Gone are the iridescent maple leaves and latent image of the denomination that appear on Pick 101. To increase its durability, the upgraded $5 note is printed on a slightly heavier paper and is coated with a protective varnish.

Additional information can be found on the Bank of Canada web site and in this official press release from April 4, 2006.

Images courtesy of Dennis Lane.

© 2008: Neither information nor images from this site may be reproduced without permission from owen [AT] banknotenews [DOT] com.

Tags: Canada

The Bank of Mexico plans to issue a new family of banknotes designed primarily to improve security and ease identification by the blind through the use of different tactile marks and varying sizes for each denomination. The first note of this new series is the $50 (US$4.60), details of which were revealed today as follows.





50 peso, 5 Nov. 2004. Issued November 21, 2006. Series A. Signatures: Guillermo Ortiz Martinez, Junta de Gobierno; Maria Elvira Herendira Hernandez Barba, Cajero Principal.
José María Morelos as portrait and watermark, color-shifting butterfly, microtext, security thread, map of Mexico as registration device, and see-through window with embossed denomination. Aqueduct in Morelia, Michoacán on back, along with orange Monarch butterflies that fluoresce yellow under UV light. Polymer. 127 x 66 mm.



50 peso, 7 Sept. 2005. Issued November 21, 2006. Like above, but series B, new date, and new signatures (Guillermo Güemez Garcia, Junta de Gobierno; Raul Valdes Ramons, Cajero Principal). Polymer.



50 peso, 7 Sept. 2005. Series C. Signatures: Everardo Elizondo Almaguer, Junta de Gobierno; Raul Valdes Ramons, Cajero Principal.



50 peso, 7 Sept. 2005. Issued November 21, 2006. Like above, but series D, new date, and new signatures (Jose Julian Sidaoui Dib, Junta de Gobierno; Raul Valdes Ramons, Cajero Principal). Polymer.



Faux watermark that appears on all notes to right of portrait.

Images courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

Treasury Secretary “Hank” Paulson visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) in Washington, DC on October 23, 2006, for the unveiling of the first paper currency with his signature. The signature, which he provided to the BEP on his first day in office this past July, uses his formal name: Henry M. Paulson Jr. The new $20 Series 2006 notes also bear the signature of Anna Escobedo Cabral, Treasurer. The notes are expected to be sent to the Federal Reserve for distribution as needed.

© 2008: Neither information nor images from this site may be reproduced without permission from owen [AT] banknotenews [DOT] com.

Tags: United States

In September 2006, the Bank of Mexico outlined its plans to issue a new family of banknotes designed primarily to improve security and ease identification by the blind through the use of different tactile marks and varying sizes for each denomination. The colors and overall designs of the current series of notes will remain unchanged to avoid confusion. The lone exception is the new $500, which will feature Diego Rivera and Frieda Kahlo.

All of the new notes will be 66 mm tall. However, the 20-peso note will be 120 mm in length, and each larger denomination will be 7 mm longer, culminating in a 1,000-peso note measuring 155 x 66 mm, the same size as the current series of notes (Pick 116 - 121).

The first note of the new series will be the $50, to be released in November 2006, followed by the $20 in 2007. Both of these denominations will be printed on polymer, which — in the bank's experience with the current polymer $20 (Pick 116) — lasts three times longer than paper.

The remaining denominations will be printed on paper, with the $200 and $1,000 appearing in 2008, and the $100 and $500 slated for 2009. The current notes will remain legal tender and will be gradually removed from circulation.

Tags: Mexico, Polymer

According to an August 20, 2006 article in the Calgary Sun, the Bank of Canada  has withdrawn its proposal to introduce a $200 bank note — the first in the bank’s history — in the face of strong opposition of retailers.

The bank had been investigating a high-denomination replacement for the $1,000 note (Pick 100, shown above) that it ceased issuing  on May 12, 2000. Thereafter, all $1,000 notes returned to the bank were withdrawn from circulation and destroyed. At the time the bank said the move was intended to fight money laundering and organized crime.

Nonetheless, in December 2005, the bank commissioned Toronto-based SES Research to conduct a survey of 2,000 store owners asking if they would accept a circulating $200 bill. “There currently exists a significant current of opposition to the introduction of a $200 banknote,” concluded the report, noting that the move was opposed by 59% of those surveyed, with opposition rising as high as 70% in Quebec.

© 2008: Neither information nor images from this site may be reproduced without permission from owen [AT] banknotenews [DOT] com.

Tags: Canada