World Banknotes News

The Cayman Islands has recently announced the release of a special commemorative banknote, with a face value of 70 dollars, to mark the one-year anniversary of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. This unique banknote is also a tribute to the remarkable Platinum Jubilee of the beloved queen. On the obverse side, the banknote elegantly showcases the Cayman Islands Coat of Arms and the Royal Cipher of Queen Elizabeth II, symbolizing her reign from 1952 to 2022. The reverse side of the note is adorned with three different portraits of Her Majesty, including a poignant depiction of her historic visit to the Cayman Islands in 1983. These images pay homage to her enduring connection with the people of the Cayman Islands. It's worth noting that this special banknote, printed by De La Rue, will not enter general circulation. Only 10,000 of these commemorative notes have been produced. Stay tuned for more information on how to obtain one for your collection. This unique piece serves as a last...

The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) is excited to announce its plans to release a new limited-edition $10 commemorative banknote to mark a significant event in the history of the Solomon Islands nation—the XVII Pacific Games 2023, scheduled to be held in Honiara, Solomon Islands, in November. Here are some important details about this commemorative banknote: Design and Production: The new $10 banknote has been crafted using Safeguard polymer by De La Rue, a renowned currency and security printing company in the UK. This choice of material is known for its durability and intricate security features that make counterfeiting extremely difficult. Purpose: This commemorative banknote has been designed to commemorate the XVII Pacific Games 2023, a momentous occasion for the Solomon Islands. Once officially launched, this banknote will be available for both everyday use in circulation and as a collector's item, serving as a special memento to celebrate and remember the PG 2023. Off...

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued an order to withdraw the highest denomination banknote, the 2,000-rupee note, on May 19, 2023. This move comes almost seven years after its introduction in November 2016 to remonetize the economy, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sudden decision to invalidate 1,000 and 500 rupee notes as legal tender overnight, as part of an anti-corruption initiative. Despite the majority of the 3.56 trillion rupees being deposited, approximately 7 percent of these notes were still in circulation as of September 1, 2023, amounting to ₹24,087 crore ($2.9 billion). The pink-hued 2,000-rupee note quickly became a popular choice for storing value and conducting significant cash transactions. In its withdrawal notice, the RBI explained that the 2,000-rupee banknotes had served their intended purpose and were no longer in widespread circulation. The central bank also referenced its 'clean note policy,' which mandates the replacement of worn or s...

Japan will issue new banknotes as early as July next year in their first renewal since 2004. Newly-designed banknotes will circulate from July 2024, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned. The Finance Ministry announced in 2019 that new ¥10,000, ¥5,000 and ¥1,000 notes would change sometime between April and September 2024. The face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as "the father of Japanese capitalism," will be on the new 10,000 yen bill; the new 5,000 yen note will carry Umeko Tsuda, an educator who pioneered women's higher education, while the new 1,000 yen note will feature microbiologist Shibasaburo Kitasato, who developed a serum therapy for tetanus.   The reverse of the three banknotes will adopt images of the Tokyo Station building, wisteria and a work on Mt Fuji by ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai, respectively. The new banknotes include anti-forgery technology that is being used for the first time in the world.

The Egyptian State Information Service announced the release of a new LE20 polymer banknote ahead of Eid al-Adha. An official statement said on Monday: “The new plastic currency was printed at the new Central Bank of Egypt printing press in the Administrative Capital, based on holograms and watermarks that were manufactured at the NASPS complex in the Administrative Capital”.  “The design of the new banknote is distinguished by its support for people of determination, after adding the Braille method,” it added. CBE had approved the LE10 plastic banknote before Eid al-Adha 2022.  People used to hand new banknotes to children as “Eidiya” (Eid gift) as part of Eid traditions. The Deputy Governor of CBE Khaled Farouk previously told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the Central Bank is already working on polymer notes that will be printed in the near future. He explained that the CBE has already imported equipment and devices intended for processing denominations using the Braille method. Far...

Bulgaria has announced the withdrawal of the 20 Leva banknote, originally issued in 2005, from circulation. Effective February 1, 2023, these banknotes will no longer be considered legal tender. The 20 Leva banknote was issued as a commemorative note on the occasion of the 120th Anniversary of the Issue of the Bulgarian Leva Currency (P-121). Notably, this banknote is crafted from a hybrid material with embedded plastic elements, showcasing advancements in currency technology. In accordance with Article 26 of the Law on the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), the BNB Governing Council has resolved to withdraw the BGN-20 banknotes from the 2005 series from circulation. These banknotes will lose their legal tender status effective from February 1, 2023.  From this specified date, individuals can exchange the BGN 20-denominated banknotes from the 2005 series at the Bulgarian National Bank counters at their full face value. There will be no limit on the amount for exchange, and individuals ...

The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) put into circulation a new series of redesigned XAF (franc) banknotes on 15 December 2022, to celebrate the bank’s 50th anniversary. The new notes will circulate in the Central African States of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Five denominations of the banknotes 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 & 10,000 are issued. All five denominations of the franc banknotes (XAF 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10,000) have been redesigned and upgraded.  For the first time, the notes will represent all four official languages spoken in the BEAC region: French and Arabic (on the front sides), English and Spanish (on the reverse sides).  The 2002 series of BEAC banknotes will be gradually withdrawn from circulation as they are returned to BEAC counters starting January 2024. Until then, they will continue to be valid legal tender.