Problems for the new US $100 banknote

Wired reports about the problems facing the new US 100 dollar banknote and specifically the various new security features which provide all kinds of problems in production. Check out the full story here.

Sweden changes portrait on new 1000 krona banknote

The Sveriges Riksbank reports:  "The Riksbank has reached agreement with the copyright holders for the images and symbols that will be used on the new banknotes. In connection with this, the portrait of Dag Hammarskjöld on the 1000-krona banknote has been replaced. The issue of the new banknotes will begin in early October 2015. Today, the Riksbank is also publishing the texts that will form the basis for the mini- and micro-texts on the new banknotes. The mini- and micro-texts are interwoven with the banknotes' motifs and act as extra security features. The texts are linked to the individuals portrayed on the respective banknotes. The 20-krona banknote, for example, will contain a line from “Pippi Longstocking”, one of Astrid Lindgren's most famous books, while the 500-krona bank- note will have a text listing Birgit Nilsson's operatic roles. All the mini- and micro-texts are available on the Riksbank's website."

Libya: new 20 dinar to be released soon

Libya will issue the new 20 dinar banknote on 31 March 2013 (press release in Arabic). The front of the note shows a school in Ghadames and the back shows the Al-Ateeq mosque in Oujlah.

New commemorative banknote for Bangladesh

Bangladesh will issue another new commemorative banknote (info on the previous issues from 2011, 2012 and 2013 can be found here). This time the banknote will be 100 taka in commemoration of 100 Years of Bangladesh National Museum. The date of issue is not yet known but is supposed to be soon.

(pictures from banknotenews.com)

'I feel like Braveheart, conquering England'

Journalist Paul English (what's in a name?) tells his funny story on trying to spend the Scottish pound banknotes in London. Some accept the notes, others don't and some people supect it's a fake. No worries people, they're genuine!

>> Wikipedia on Scottish banknotes

Images of new banknotes Angola

Angola has finally presented its new banknote series. The series has denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 kwanza's. The illlustrations are the following:

• 50 kwanza's: Falls Cuemba (Bie)
• 100 kwanza's: Binga Falls (Kwanza Sul)
• 200 kwanza's:  Falls Thiumbue (Lunda Sul)
• 500 kwanza's: Falls Andulo (Bie)
• 1000 kwanza's: Falls Kalandula (Malanje)
• 2000 kwanza's: Falls Dande (Bengo)
• 5000 kwanza's: Dam Kapanda (Malanje)

The notes will be issued from March to June.

Interview with Ton Roos, Director of Banknotes (ECB)

Coin Update has an interesting interview with Ton Roos, Director of Banknotes at the European Central Bank. He of course talks about the forthcoming new Europa series of the euro banknotes. But he also addresses the possibility of a polymer future for the euro notes (tip: don't hold your breath for it) and the process of the new design.

The new Europa series will start with the 5 euro banknote which was revealed at the beginning of this year and which will be issued to the public on 2 May 2013.

Russia presents commemorative banknote

As mentioned earlier this year Russia will issue a special 100 rouble banknote commemorating the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. Details on the design have now been released to the public by the Central Bank of Russia.

The design of the banknote was revealed at a presentation at Krasnaya Poliana in Sochi. The banknote’s designer is a student of the Repin Institute of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, Pavel Bushuev , who won a contest to design the banknote. The banknote is vertically oriented.

The blue tinted banknote depicts a flying snowboarder on one side, and on the other - the Olympic Stadium and a firebird. As part of another innovation the banknote will be released in an original gift box. 10 million banknotes will be released into circulation in Russia.

The Central Bank of Russia will issue the commemorative 100 rouble note in October, a hundred days before the start of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

Change of notes in Tunisia

News from Tunisia today: the banknotes of 20 dinars (1992), 30 dinars (1997) and 50 dinars (2008) will continue to be legal tender until 31 March 2013. Afterwards these may be redeemed at the branches of the Banque Centrale de Tunisie until 31 December 2017. Furthermore the Banque Centrale de Tunisie plans to issue new banknotes of 5 and 10 dinars dated 2012, and eventually withdraw from circulation the current ones. No dates have been yet established.

Source

Three new notes for Tajikistan

After the introduction of the 5 and 10 Somoni banknotes last year, the National Bank of Tajikistan has now introduced the new 20, 50 and 100 Somoni notes. According to this press release from 4 March 2013 the notes have been issued with enhanced security features.

Amongst those security features are a kinegram with a laser printed serial number in relief.

Iran to issue larger denomination?

From Bloomberg.com: Iran’s Central Bank plans to issue banknotes with twice the value of the largest ones in circulation, Donya-e-Eqtesad reported, citing Majid Saniei, an official at the financial institution.

The bank will start printing 200,000-rial ($16) banknotes as soon as it receives permission from the Economy Ministry and will release the new notes into circulation in the Iranian new year starting March 21, the Tehran-based daily quoted Saniei, head of Iran’s security and minting organization, as saying.

The Central Bank is also seeking approval for 500,000-rial notes and plans to introduce these in two years’ time, Saniei said. Iran’s largest banknote at the moment is 100,000 rials. 

New varieties for Croatia

The Croatian National Bank has announced that new varieties of the 10 and 20 Kuna will be issued on 18 March 2013. They will be the same as the current issues but with a new date (9 July 2012) and a new signature of Boris Vujcic.

The current 10 and 20 Kuna:

Vote now for Banknote of the Year 2012

Members of the IBNS can now cast their votes for the annual Banknote of the Year election. You can select a first, second and third preference which get 3, 2 and 1 points. Voting closes 23:59 GMT on 18 March 2013 and the winner will be announced at the annual meeting in Valkenburg in April. 

The nominees can be found here and are in no particular order:

• Brazil's 20 Reais Note
• Jersey's 100 Pound Note
• Argentina's 100 Peso Note
• Canada's 50 Dollar Note
• Malaysian 5 Ringgit Note
• Kazakhstan 5,000 Tenge Note
• Morocco's 25 Dirham Note
• South Africa's 200 Rand Note
• Scotland's 10 Pound Note
• Costa Rica's 50,000 Colones Note
• Namibia's 200 Dollar Note
• Turkmenistan's 20 Manat Note
• Oman's 50 Rial Note

My personal top 3:

1. South Africa's 200 Rand Note

2. Scotland's 10 Pound Note

3. Canada's 50 Dollar Note

New additions week 8 - 2013

Just recently I wrote about the new commemorative issue from Cambodia honouring the late king Norodom Sihamoni. This week I received the beautiful new note from a purchase on eBay as a new addition to my collection. Yaay!

New banknotes Venezuela?

A website from Venezuela has shown banknotes of 200 and 500 bolivares which might be issued later this year. An exact date or confirmation of this news hasn't been given yet.

Below are images of these new banknotes, along with the current circulating banknotes in Venezuela.