Philippines

March 14, 2010 - A new generation of bank notes will be released in the last quarter of the year, probably before Christmas, an official of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Wednesday.

The new bills are basically of the same size and color of existing banknotes, but there would be changes in the design. One of the changes will be on the people, events, and places featured in the bills.

Philippine money has been practically the same for over 15 years. The change is also seen as one way to stay ahead of counterfeiters.

Old bank notes will co-exist with the new ones for 2-3 years before being demonetized.

Info courtesy of cleo phas Sun Star

United States

March 5, 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. Info courtesy of cleo phas. U. S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Canada

March 5, 2010 - Bank of Canada announced yesterday that starting in 2011, it will begin to issue a new series of bank notes printed on a polymer material. The new notes will incorporate security features that will "significantly increase their protection against counterfeiting." In addition, the plastic notes will last longer than the cotton paper currently in use, "resulting in lower overall production costs and reduced environmental impact." Plastics News

India

March 4, 2010 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would shortly issue Rs 20 denomination banknotes without inset letter in both numbering panels in Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005 bearing the signature of Dr 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 August 16, 2006. All banknotes in the denomination of Rs 20 issued by the RBI in the past will continue to be legal tender, RBI sources said. Central Chronicle

Chile

March 2, 2010 - Banco Central de Chile announced that the release of the new 10,000 Pesos banknote originally scheduled for March 3, 2010 has been postponed because of the situation after the earthquake. Info courtesy of cleo phas

Ghana

February 26, 2010 - The Bank of Ghana has decided to introduce a GH¢2 (Two Ghana Cedi) denomination in response to the need for an intermediary banknote between the GH¢1 and GH¢5 banknotes.

The introduction of the new denomination will expand the series of banknotes in circulation, enhance exchangeability and facilitate transactions.

The general public will be informed and educated on the theme, colour, size, security and other features of the new denomination when the design is finalized.

Info courtesy of cleo phas. Bank of Ghana

Vanuatu

February 22, 2010 - The Reserve Bank of Vanuatu plans to issue a new series of polymer banknotes beginning with a 10,000 Vatu note to be introduced in July 2010, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of independence. This will be the largest denomination ever issued by the country. Other notes in the series will be introduced progressively.

Info courtesy of cleo phas. Reserve Bank of Vanuatu

Jersey

February 20, 2010 - Jersey's new-look bank notes which will go into circulation in April have been unveiled.

The £1, £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes have been redesigned to reflect various aspects of the island's culture, history and architecture.

Each note also has a new image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Increased security measure have been taken by the treasury to prevent forgeries, including holograms, watermarks and 100% cotton paper.

The hologram only features on notes of higher denomination.

Jerriais, the island's native Norman French, has been included. Treasury Minister Philip Ozouf said he hoped this would help revive the language.

Link shows pictures of the new notes BBC

Switzerland

February 18, 2010 - Switzerland plans to introduce from 2012 a new series of banknotes with greater security features, but also smaller than the ones currently in circulation.

The introduction of these new notes, originally expected this year, was postponed for two years to "enhance the innovative security features, from new technologies," the Swiss National Bank (SNB) said in a statement.

Info courtesy of cleo phas.

Costa Rica

February 10, 2010 - Costa Rica to issue 20,000 and 50,000 Colones banknotes between late April and early May 2010. These two are the firsts of a new family of banknotes to eventually replace the old ones.

The new notes will have different colors and sizes to help the blind and the vision impaired.

Front will feature famous Costa Ricans:
1,000 Colones: Red, Braulio Carrillo Colina
2,000 Colones: Blue, Mauro Fernández Acuna
5,000 Colones: Yellow, Alfredo Gonzálex Flores
10,000 Colones: Green, José Figueres Ferrer
20,000 Colones: Orange, Maria I. Carvajal "Carmen Lyra"
50,000 Colones: Purple, Ricardo Jiménez Oremuno

Back will feature scenic beauties of Costa Rica.

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas. ticosland.com

Iraq

February 6, 2010 - The Iraqi Central Bank is planning to redenominate the national currency in an effort to ease transactions and allow people to carry less paper money, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) reports.

Mudhhir Muhammad Salih, a member of a Central Bank advisory panel, told RFI that a plan has been made to remove three zeros from the currency and phase out the current banknotes late this year.

Salih said by the end of 2010 the new banknotes will be fully introduced while the old banknotes will be gradually removed from circulation. He did not specify when the new notes would be issued.

Both will be legal tender in Iraq until the old notes are completely withdrawn. Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

Brazil

February 3, 2010 -Brazil's Central Bank has unveiled new banknotes with superior print quality and new security features to prevent counterfeiting.

The new bills unveiled Wednesday are in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 reais.

The new notes have different sizes and notches so that they can be easily identified by touch.

New notes of 50 and 100 reais will start circulating in the first half of 2010, while those of lesser face value will be phased in by 2012.

Those currently in circulation remain valid until complete replacement, so people do not need to rush for new notes, said Meirelles.

Info courtesy of cleo phas. See scans of the new notes at Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

Pakistan

January 23, 2010 - The State Bank of Pakistan announces that all offices of SBP Banking Services Corporation will start issuing new Rs 500 Banknote with an Optical Variable Ink (OVI) Feature from January 25, 2010.

The new Rs 500 banknote with OVI feature will bear signature of Syed Salim Raza, SBP Governor. The launching of Rs 500 banknote with OVI feature is part of SBP's continuous efforts to improve security, durability and aesthetic quality of banknotes. Geo Television Network

Nepal

January 15, 2010 - Nepal introduced a new 1000 Rupees banknote which is already in circulation.

Scans courtesy of Claudio Marana at Nepal 1000 Rupees 2010

Poland

January 13, 2010 - The National Bank of Poland plans to issue a new 20 Zlotych banknote to commemorate the 200th birthday of composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin.

Front: A portrait of Frederic Chopin seen in profile, the mansion in Zelazowa Wola where the composer was born, and a reproduction of one of the first edition of his works - Mazurka in B minor, Op. 7 together with the autograph of the artist.

Back: A landscape with characteristic Masovian willows and Chopin's etude in F minor, Op. 10.

So far, the NBP had issued three commemorative banknotes exclusively for the collector market. The first was a 50 Zlotych banknote dedicated to Pope John Paul II in 2006. Two years later, in 2008, a 10 Zlotych banknote was issued to commemorate the NBP 90th anniversary of independence. In 2009, a third 20 Zlotych banknote was issued on the occasion of 200th birthday of of Julius Slowacki. This is the fourth commemorative note issued by the NBP. This latest commemorative will go on sale in February or March 2010. NBP News

Nicaragua

January 13, 2010 - The Central Bank of Nicaragua issued a new 500 Cordobas banknote today, the last denomination in the new banknote series.

Link in Spanish shows scans of the new note courtesy of cleo phas. Banco Central de Nicaragua

Honduras

January 12, 2010 - The Central Bank of Honduras introduced today the new 20 lempiras banknote made from polymer, which is already circulating in the country.

Info courtesy of cleo phas and Claudio Marana. See pictures of the note at Honduras Polymer Plastic Banknote

Philippines

January 5, 2010 - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is set to print a series of redesigned banknotes within the year. The redesigned banknotes would include the new P500 bill with a portrait of the late President Corazon Aquino beside former Sen. Benigno Aquino. ABS-CBN News

Chile

January 1, 2010 - Banco Central de Chile will unveil a new 10,000 Peso banknote on January 6, 2010. The new note will retain the portrait of Arturo Prat in the front and Chilean landscape in the back. The notes will incorporate improved features for the sight-impaired, and for anti-counterfeiting.

Link shows scans of the note courtesy of Claudio Marana. Some Intetesting Facts About Paper Money

Kazakhstan

December 30, 2009 - The National Bank of Kazakhstan will issue a new 1000 Tenge banknote on January 5, 2010 to commemorate Kazakhstan's chairmanship in th Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010

Obverse: State Emblem of the Republic of Kazakhstan in left upper corner, decorative image of flying birds in national style, face value in Kazakh language in the center, motives of Kazakh national patterns along the banknote, holographic image of Baiterek monument , colour-changing logo of National Bank of Kazakhstan on the right part

Reverse: State Flag of the Republic in the left lower corner, Akorda palace of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the center with face value in Russian language, image of a bird and year of issue 2010, numerical indication of face value in the left lower part, motives of Kazakh national patterns along the banknote.

Link shows pictures of the new note Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

Israel

December 16, 2009 - For the first time in Israel's history, the Bank of Israel will change all the figures that are featured on the country's banknotes.

The new bills will feature Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion; Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl; and former Prime Ministers Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin.

The plan, which is expected to be put into action in two years, is a break from tradition for the central bank, since it usually only occasionally changes the design of the bills and the pictures of the figures featured on them.

It is still unclear whether the new banknotes will be made of paper or water-resistant polypropylene polymer, like the current NIS 20 bill. Haaretz.com

Turkey

December 15, 2009 - The so-called New Turkish Lira (YTL) will be withdrawn from circulation on 1 January 2010 and a currency named "Turkish Lira" will be put in circulation.

The banknotes and coins resembling euro have been presented by the country's Central Bank on 1 January 2009. This year was used by the Turkish banks to gather old banknotes and replace them with the new ones from 2010.

The new banknotes and coins will differ from the old ones in size, design, color, and anti-counterfeiting properties. Bizklub

Bahamas

December 15, 2009 - The Central Bank of The Bahamas is preparing to issue a new, more counterfeit-strong $100 banknote, just ahead of the busy Christmas season.

The Counterfeit Resistance Integrated Security Product (CRISP) will enter circulation starting tomorrow and is the sixth and final denomination in a CRISP family of bank notes.

The new banknote is purple, blue, green and mauve in color, said the Bank, and bears a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the front, and a picture of a blue marlin on the back. Some of the signs that will mark these notes from other are a new watermark of the queen and the numeral 100 on the front left and a new see-through feature that shows only a partial image of the sand dollar until it is held up to a light source, at which point a complete image of the sand dollar appears.

These new banknotes will circulate alongside the existing $100 banknotes which will eventually be phased out of circulation. The Nassau Guardian

Scotland

December 14, 2009 - A new £100 bank note featuring the Scottish artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh goes into circulation today.

The £100 note is one of a series introduced by Clydesdale Bank during 2009 to mark the Year of Homecoming.

Link shows the picture of the note News.scotsman.com

Russia

December 11, 2009 - The Central Bank of Russia will introduce a revised 1000 Ruble note in the second half of 2010. The new note will be similar to the current issue except with improved security features.

Link in Russian courtesy of cleo phas. Finance.UA

Afghanistan

December 11, 2009 - Da Afghanistan Bank announced that a new family of banknotes would soon be released to the public.

The new 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 bank notes, 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. Da Afghanistan Bank

Paraguay

December 11, 2009 - The Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) on Thursday presented a new 2,000 Guarani banknote depicting Paraguayan teachers Celsa and Adela Speratti.

The new notes are in circulation starting today.

Link in Spanish with pictures of the two teachers courtesy of cleo phas. Digital ABC

Guatemala

December 8, 2009 - The Bank of Guatemala has announced it will introduce a new 200-quetzal note in March 2010.

This note honors three prominent Guatemalans, Sebastian Hurtado, Mariano Valverde and Germán Alcántara. It also includes many enhanced security features.

Link in Spanish with pictures of the note courtesy of cleo phas. WordPress.com Blog

Trinidad and Tobago

December 4, 2009 - Trinidad and Tobago will issue a new $100 note within weeks to commemorate the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held November 27-29, 2009. Guargian

Jersey

December 4, 2009 - The States of Jersey will put into circulation a new series of banknotes starting next February.

The new notes will feature new security measures and will have the value printed in both French and Jèrriais on one side. Details about the other denominations have not been released, but the £1 note will feature the Liberation Statue, in Liberation Square, on the front and La Hougue Bie on the back. The £100 note will be introduced later next year after the other denominations are released in February. Jersey Evening Post

Nicaragua

December 4, 2009 - The Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) issued a new 50 Cordobas banknote yesterday.

The new note is made from cotton. The front side depicts Somoto Canyon and the back, Ceremic pot.

Link in Spanish with pictures of the new note courtesy of cleo phas. La Jornada

Czech Republic

December 2, 2009 - The Czech National Bank is putting into circulation on December 1, 2009 a new version of the CZK 5000 banknote. Its issuance is part of a long-term programme to improve the protection of Czech banknotes against counterfeiting.

The new banknote is again based on a design by Oldrich Kulhánek. Its dimensions and basic parameters are the same as for the previous version of the CZK 5000 banknote. The enhanced protection against counterfeiting includes changes to existing protective elements, the addition of new ones and other design alterations.

Link courtesy of cleo phas Czech National Bank

North Korea

November 30, 2009 - In a surprise move, the North Korean central bank has revalued and replaced its national currency as of today, according to several sources.

The exchange rate for the new currency is 100:1, so old 1,000 won bills are being exchanged for new ten won bills. DailyNK

Scotland

November 30, 2009 - Clydesdale Bank releases a new banknote featuring Robert Burns and images of Edinburgh's old and new towns enters circulation today.

The £10 notes, the fourth of the Clydesdale Bank's new world heritage banknotes, will be available at cash machines and branches from 10am.

The collection showcases the best of Scotland's heritage, people and culture and marks the first time in more than 20 years the bank has launched a complete new set of notes.

Introduced to mark the Year of Homecoming, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Bard's death, the front of each new note honours a prominent and innovative Scot while the reverse features one of Scotland's five World Heritage Sites.

The new notes will be 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.

The bank's new £5, £20 and £50 notes have already entered circulation. The Press and Journal

Paraguay

November 26, 2009 - The central bank of Paraguay will launch a new 2000 Guarani note in mid-December. The note will be printed in polymer plastic and will feature two teachers of Paraguay, Celsa and Adela Speratti.

Link in spanish courtesy of cleo phas Ultimahora.com

Sri Lanka

November 17, 2009 - The Central Bank of Sri Lanka issued a commemorative note in the denomination of Rupees 1000 to mark the ushering of peace and prosperity to Sri Lanka, on 17th November 2009.

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 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.

India

November 17, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to issue new Rs 50 denomination banknotes with `L` inset letter in both numbering panels in 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 now is similar in all respects to the banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005, with additional / new security features issued on Aug. 24, 2005.

All banknotes in the denomination of Rs 50 issued by RBI in the past will continue to be legal tender. My Iris News

Macao

November 6, 2009 - Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU)puts into circulation Macao 50 Pataca banknotes. The note is predominantly dark brown color showing image of Sai Van Bridge in the back.

Link in portuguese courtesy of cleo phas Jornal Tribuna de Macau

Yemen

November 1, 2009 - The Central Bank of Yemen announced that a new banknote of a denomination of YR 250 (two hundred fifty) with high specifications will be put into circulation starting on Saturday, November 14, 2009.

Link shows detailed decriptions and scans of the new note, courtesy of cleo phas Some Interesting Facts About Paper MOney

Guatemala

October 28, 2009 - The bank of Guatemala has issed a revised 100 Quetzal note. The note is similar to the previous issue except with improved security, new date and new signatures.

Link in Spanish shows scans of the new notes courtesy of cleo phas Banco de Guatemala

Paraguay

October 22, 2009 - The Banco Central de Paraguay announced it will drop three zeroes from the guarani in 2011. The revised currency will be called the new guarani. The notes will feature the same designs as the current series of notes.

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas Reuters

Tanzania

October 16, 2009 - The Bank of Tanzania to issue a new series of banknotes in 8 months. The Swedish company Crane Currency AB, would print notes with denomination of 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 500, while the UK-based De La Rue would print the 1,000 notes.

The new notes will be used together with the old ones, until the old ones disappear in the circulation. The Zimbabwean

Scotland

October 16, 2009 - Scotland issues a new series of banknotes to celebrate the best of Scotland's heritage, people, and culture, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns and the Year of Homecoming 2009. The new notes will enter circulation very shortly.

The new family of banknotes celebrates famous Scots on the front and the five World Heritage Sites in Scotland on the back, drawing on the Homecoming themes of Burns, Great Minds and Innovation, Culture and Heritage.

Link shows scans of the new notes Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

Morocco

October 6, 2009 - Morocco is expected to issue a 50-dirham note next week to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the central bank.

This will be the first commemorative banknote issued in Morocco.

Front shows portraits of kings Mohammed VI, Hassan II and Mohammed V. The kings also appear on a holographic stripe. The crown on top left corner was printed with ink that changes color depending on the angle of view.

The back depicts the Bank Al-Maghrib building in Rabat.

Link shows front and back scans of the note. Info courtesy of cleo phas Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

Nigeria

September 29, 2009 - The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will issue polymer bank notes, which will be launched formally tomorrow by President Umaru Musa Yar'adua as part of activities to commemorate the nation's 49th Independence anniversary celebrations. Presently, only the N20 bill is issued in polymer notes.

Ben Onyido, the CBN's director of currency and branch operations, said yesterday in Abuja that the new bank notes, which will come in the N5, N10 and N50 currency denominations, will be introduced to replace the ones currently in circulation. 234next.com

Argentina

September 26, 2009 - The Central Bank of Argentina plans to issue a new series of banknotes to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Revolution of May next year. The new series will gradually replace those currently in circulation.

The bank originally proposed to replace the front of the notes with figures from the world of science and the arts. This idea has now been discarded. The new series will retain the heros on the existing notes.

Intead of historical monuments, the reverse of the new series will show pictures of tourist centers in Argentina, such as the Train to the Clouds, the Iguazu Falls and the Perito Moreno glacier.

The new series will be released into circulation on May 25, 2010.

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas El Litoral

Myanmar

September 25, 2009 - Myanmar's government announced Thursday that it will begin circulating a new currency note next week.

The 5,000 kyat note, which is worth less than $5 US, will be the largest bank note that the southeast Asian country has ever had. It will be released into circulation on October 1, according to an announcement on Myanmar's state-run MRTV.

There was no explanation for the government's decision to introduce the new bill. Currently, the largest note is the 1,000 kyat bill, which is worth less than $1

Info courtesy of cleo phas CNN.com

Mexico

September 24, 2009 - On the occasion of the Bicentennial celebration of Independence Day and the centennial of the Mexican Revolution this Wednesday, Banco de Mexico released into circulation two new 100 Peso and 200 Peso banknotes

The front of the new 100-peso note shows a locomotive that carried revolutionary troops in 1910. The reverse shows soldiers in David Alfaro Siqueiros' mural "Del Porfirismo a la Revolución".

The front of the 200-peso note shows Miguel Hidalgo carrying a banner, a painting by Jesus Enrique Emilio de la Helguera Evans. The reverse shows Angel of Independence, on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City.

Link shows pictures of the notes. Info courtesy of cleo phase. Zacatecas Hoy

Jamaica

September 19, 2009 - The Bank of Jamaica says it will be issuing a high security $5,000 banknote on Thursday (September 24).

The note will be legal tender for all monetary transactions, and will complement the existing family of banknotes; namely $50, $100, $500 and $1,000.

The portrait of the late former Prime Minster of Jamaica, the Rt. Hon. Hugh Lawson Shearer, appears on the front of the note. The reverse features blossoms of the Frangipani and an aerial view of Highway 2000.

See picture of the note at Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

India

September 17, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will shortly issue Rs 500 denomination new banknotes with `E` inset letter in both numbering panels in 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 now is similar in all respects to the banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005, with additional/ new security features issued on Oct. 21, 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. Myiris News

Nigeria

September 16, 2009 - Arrangements have been concluded by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to introduce new polymer bank notes of the 5 naira, 10 naira and 50 naira denominations into circulation at the end of this month, CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, indicated here Wednesday.

The new notes will be officially launched on 30 September by President Umaru Yar'dua. The currency consumes less paper to produce, it is durable and environmently friendly. It will be partly printed in Nigeria and abroad, Sanusi said.

Currently, the three denominations are being printed on paper which makes them fragile and susceptible to wear and tear.

The highest denomination of the 1,000 naira notes, the 500 naira notes are also printed on paper.

Sanusi said the polymer bank notes would be incorporated with security measures that will make it difficult to be forged by fraudsters.

Hong Kong

September 11, 2009 - Standard Chartered Bank marked its 150th anniversary in Hong Kong by launching what it claimed to be the world's first 150-dollar bank notes.

See picture of the note at Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

India

September 8, 2009 - Soiled notes may soon be a thing of past with the Reserve Bank planning to introduce Rs 10 polymer banknotes whose life span would be 4 times the normal currency notes and would be difficult to imitate.

Explaining the rationale for introduction of polymer notes, the official said, these notes would have an average life span of 5 years compared to one year for the currency notes.

Besides, the official said, these notes are cleaner than paper notes and it would be difficult to counterfeit the currency. hindustantimes

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Uganda

August 27, 2009 - Bank of Uganda is to release new bank notes of Shs1,000 denomination with a new numbering format beginning September 1, 2009. Every bank note in Uganda has a unique numbering printed horizontally and vertically on the front of the bank note.

Bank of Uganda started issuing Shs1,000 bank notes in 1991. Each note carries a unique numbering of alphabetical letters from A to Z, which according to the BoU have all been used up therefore necessitating a new numbering format. The numbering is not repeated.

Mr Otim explained that the only difference is the numbering format. The old bank notes of Shs1,000 consisted of two letters and figures of six digits making eight characters but in the new bank notes, BoU has used only one letter and figures of seven digits bringing the characters to eight.

Bangladesh

August 27, 2009 - Bangladesh issued a new 500 Taka banknote. The note is similar to the previous 2000 issue except with new date and new signature.

Mujibur Rahman on front right and High Court building in Dhaka on the back.

Picture courtesy of Claudio Marana Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

Armenia

August 25, 2009 - Central Bank of Armenian issues 100,000 Dram banknotes.

The new banknote depicts King Abgar V, the first Armenian king to adopt Christianity. The front of the banknote depicts him pointing at a canvas of the royal flag with a lively portrait of Jesus Christ. The reverse of the banknote depicts disciple Thaddeus handing the canvas to King Abgar V and his consequent miraculous healing.

Link shows picture of the 100,000 Dram note. Info courtesy of cleo phas Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

Poland

August 13, 2009 - The Polish National Bank will issue a new 20 Zlotych banknote on September 23, 2009 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Julius Slowacki.

The front shows a bust of Julius Slowacki, and view of the manor Krzemieniec, which for several years had been the Julius Slowacki Museum.

The reverse shows the head of the column of Zygmunt III Vasa at Castle Square in Warsaw, and the reproduction of a portion of the poem "sedation".

The banknotes have been produced by the Polish Security Printing SA. Only 80,000 notes issued. Banknote is a legal tender with a nominal value of 20 Euro.

Info courtesy of cleo phas. Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

Chile

August 13, 2009 - The Central Bank of Chile will unveile a new family of banknotes on Tuesday August 18th. The new notes update the design of banknotes currently in circulation.

The new banknotes will be put into circulation in sequence over a period of approximately two years, maintained the existing denominations (1,000 Pesos, 2,000 Pesos, 5,000 Pesos, 10,000 Pesos and 20,000 Pesos) and its characters, incorporating the most modern manufacturing processes.

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas Chile Noticais

Philippines

August 6, 2009 - The central bank last month announced plans to redesign all of the country's bank notes and coins, the first major facelift in over two decades. The new series is expected to be unveiled in two years.

The front of the yellow P500 bank note currently features the image of Mr. Aquino, a journalist turned politician whose assassination in 1983 led to the 1986 People Power revolution, his slogan "The Filipino is worth dying for", a typewriter, and the Philippine flag.

The back features scenes from Mr. Aquino's life and some allegorical groups.

The late president Corazon "Cory" Aquino who dies August 1, 2009 may soon share the honor of being featured on P500 note together with her husband. BusinessWorld

Bolivia

August 2, 2009 - Bolivia plans to issue new series of banknotes with images of indigenous heroes, coca, and archaeological and natural sites in the country.

The tentative date for the new notes is 2011-2012.

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas ernestojustiniano.org

Botswana

July 30, 2009 - Botswana's central bank said on Thursday it would introduce new banknotes with enhanced security features next month and would phase out the old ones by December 2014.

It said it would would also introduce a higher denomination 200 Botswana pula (about $29) note. Reuters Africa

Denmark

July 30, 2009 - The central bank, Nationalbanken, will gradually start introducing a range of newly designed bank notes from 11 August right through to 2011.

The first of the new batch to hit the streets will be the 50 kroner note, and while it will feature images of the Sallingsund Bridge and the intricately carved stone age clay vessel from Skarpsalling, it will also retain the familiar violet colour of the current note.

The five new notes will be introduced between now and May 2011, with the central bank swapping out the old notes and destroying them. Nationalbanken is likely to achieve this in quite a short time frame, just as it did the last time the currency was changed; half of all old notes were removed from circulation within three months. The Copenhagen Post

Tunisia

July 23, 2009 - The central bank of Tunisia announced the launch of a new 50 dinar banknote. The launch will take place on July 25 on the occasion of Tunisia's celebration of the Republic.

The banknote will represent the literary scholar Ibn Rachiq Al Kairouani who was born in Mhamdia near Tunis, a poet, writer and literary critic, and will also coincide with the celebration of Kairouan as Capital for Islamic Cultural 2009.

The new 50 dinar banknote will be added to the four types of banknotes currently in circulation in Tunisia, namely 5 dinar notes, 10 dinar notes, 20 dinar notes and 30 dinar notes.

Iran

July 23, 2009 - Iran issued a new design 5,000 Rials banknote with image of OMID, Iran's first domestically-produced research and telecommunications satellite, which was launched into space on February 3, 2009.

The note has signatures of Dr. Mahmoud Bahmani and Dr. Shams-Al-din Hosseini.

Link shows a picture of the note courtesy of Cleo Phas Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

India

July 17, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will shortly issue Rs 100 denomination bank notes with "F" inset letter in both numbering panels in 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 now is similar in all respects to the bank notes in Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005, with additional new security features issued on Aug. 24, 2005.

All bank notes in the denomination of Rs 100 issued by the bank in the past will continue to be legal tender. Iris

Malaysia

July 14, 2009 - Bank Negara Malaysia today issued the new design RM50 banknote incorporating various modern and innovative security features principally aimed at deterring counterfeiting.

"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 central bank said in a statement here.

Indonesia

July 10, 2009 - The Indonesian central bank, Bank Indonesia, has officially launched the new 2,000 Rupiah banknote today. The banknote with a value of 2,000 Rupiah is an addition to the current set of available values of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 Rupiah.

The mainly gray-colored banknote features an image 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 and has many other security features just like other current Indonesian bank notes.

Link shows a picture of the note courtesy of Cleo Phas Indahnesia.com

Chile

July 6, 2009 - Chile to issue a new series of banknotes starting next month

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas Rolando Floresisla's Weblog

Guatemala

July 6, 2009 - Guatemala to issue a new 200 Quezales banknote in December or the beginning of 2010

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas Jdguillen's Weblog

Costa Rica

June 24, 2009 - Costa Rica plans to issue a new series of banknotes starting next year.

The first of the new notes will be the 20,000 Colones note to be released on March of 2010. The entire series will be completed by January 2011.

One major change is that each note will be different in size, the smallest being the note with the smallest domination. For instance the 1,000 Colones will be 67mm by 125mm, incrementing in lenghth to 160mm for the 50,000 Colones note.

Each note will also be in different color, the 1,000 note being red, while the 50,000 note will be "morado" or purple.

The new series will also feature a new family of personalities. Inside Costa Rica

India

June 8, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue Rs 500 denomination notes with "L" inset letter and Rs 20 note with "E" inset letter bearing the signature of its Governor D Subbarao, a RBI release said today.

Except for the change in the inset letter, the design of these notes to be issued now is similar in all respects to the bank notes in Mahatma Gandhi Series 2005

All bank notes in the denomination of Rs 500 and of Rs 20 issued by the bank in the past will continue to be legal tender.

Denmark

June 5, 2009 - Denmark will issue a 50 kroner, the first of a new series of banknotes, on August 11, 2009.

Link in Danish with pictures of the new banknotes courtesy of cleo phas Denmark National Bank

Kyrgyzstan

June 4, 2009 - New 20, 50 and 100 soms bank notes will come into circulation in Kyrgyzstan from July 1, 2009, National Bank of Kyrgyz Republic reported.

New bank notes will have all the main attributes of Kyrgyz money. However there are some changes in design. So new 20 soms note will have image of Tash-Tabat and reverse side of 100 som bill will have a picture of Toktogul Hydropower Station.

Notes will have new protection elements- three dimensional watermark, latent images and holographic strip.

Design of new bills was worked out by Kyrgyz painters. According to Chokoev, notes of different value should substantially differ from each other in size and color. "Money is reflection of our history, development of our economy," he said.

New bill will gradually replace notes of the third issue. eng.24.kg

Nicaragua

June 2, 2009 - Nicaragua has issued 100 and 200 Cordobas banknotes yesterday. The 200 Cordobas note is in polymer plastic.

Info courtesy of Claudio Marana

Nepal

June 2, 2009 - The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has put into circulation a new 5 Rupee banknote in 2009. The new note removed King Gyanendra's name, image, and royal symbols from the country's currency.

Info courtesy of Claudio Marana

Bank of England

May 29, 2009 - Matthew Boulton and James Watt, leading figures of the Industrial Revolution, are to be the new faces of the Bank of England's redesigned £50 banknotes.

The Boulton and Watt £50 banknote will be launched in around 18 months time.

It is the first time two portraits will appear together on the reverse of the note. The current portrait of The Queen, first used in 1990, will be retained on the front.

Boulton and Watt formed a successful partnership in the 18th century, eventually helping turn the steam engine into a commercial success. Telegraph.co.uk

India

May 18, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to issue Rs 1000 denomination banknotes soon with "L" inset letter in both numbering panels in Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005 bearing the signature of D Subbarao, governor, RBI. 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 Oct. 21, 2005.

All banknotes in the denomination of Rs 1000 in Mahatma Gandhi series issued by the apex bank from the year 2000 will continue to be legal tender. My Iris

Jamaica

May 16, 2009 - The Bank of Jamaica will in September issue a $5,000 bank note, which will bear the image of late former prime minister, Hugh Lawson Shearer.

The highest Jamaican note in circulation now is the $1,000 bill.

The new $5,000 bank note, which is $930 above the minimum wage of $4,070 per week, would at yesterday's trading rate be valued at US$56.19.

Info courtesy of Cleo Phas

Nicaragua

May 15, 2009 - Nicaragua has issued the first 10 and 20 Cordobas polymer banknotes yesterday. The rest of the series will be released next week.

Link in Spanish with pictures of the 10 Cordobas note courtesy of cleo phas at La Prensa

Pakistan

May 14, 2009 - The State Bank of Pakistan will issue the banknotes bearing the signature of Syed Salim Raza, Governor, State Bank of Pakistan from the field offices of SBP Banking Services Corporation (Bank) with effect from 15th May 2009.

These banknotes will be in the same denomination, colour, design and size as the existing new design banknotes. The banknotes bearing the signatures of his predecessors will also continue to remain in circulation as Legal Tender. Online-International News Network

Nepal

May 9, 2009 - The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has put into circulation a new 20 Rupee banknote in 2009. The new note removed King Gyanendra's name, image, and royal symbols from the country's currency.

Scans courtesy of Claudio Marana at Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

India

May 9, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a new Rs 100 denomination bank notes with inset letter "R" in numbering panel in Mahatma Gandhi Series bearing the signature of Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor.

Scans courtesy of Claudio Marana at Some Interesting Facts About Paper Money

India

April 16, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be issuing Rs 5 denomination bank notes with inset letter "E" in numbering panel in Mahatma Gandhi Series bearing the signature of Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor.

The RBI will also be issuing Rs 50 denomination notes with inset letter "E" in both numbering panels in the Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005 bearing the signature of the Governor.

The design of these new notes will be similar to the previously issued notes in the Mahatma Gandhi series except for the change in the inset letter. All Rs 5 and Rs 50 denomination bank notes issue in the past by the RBI will continue to remain legal tender. Institute of International Trade

Burundi

April 5, 2009 - Burundi to issue new 2000 Franc and 5000 Franc banknotes on this Tuesday.

Link in French courtesy of cleo phas Net Press

Czech Republic

April 1, 2009 - The Czech National Bank is preparing to issue a new version of the 500 CZK banknote in April 2009. The new note contains new or improved protective elements (for example, a watermark, a protective strip, optically variable ink). The technical innovations of the banknote under preparation are the same as those in the new versions of the 1,000 CZK and 2,000 CZK banknotes.

The aim of the new versions of the three most used banknotes is to better protect the banknotes against counterfeiting and to help the public to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit banknotes.

Link in Czech shows picture of the new note courtesy of Marian Klubert Czech National Bank

Argentina

March 30, 2009 - The Central Bank of Argentina is planning to issue new series of banknotes with new persons and tourist nature motives.

Link in Spanish courtesy of cleo phas. Terra

Barbados

March 30, 2009 - Barbadian $100 notes with new and upgraded security features will go into circulation on April 20, 2009. "With the introduction of this $100 note we are completing the upgrades process that we began in 2007," explained Julia Weekes, Director Banking, Currency & Investments at the Central Bank of Barbados. "These features are intended to make the note more secure and are similar to those currently found in the $20 and $50 notes."

Among those features:

1. A small watermark-type image of the Pride of Barbados flower has been added to the right of the map of Barbados watermark.

2. The security thread is now wider and less reflective than the previous thread, but like it, is printed with the text "CBB$100". When held up to light, the thread becomes a solid line. Under UV light, the thread fluoresces blue and the text fluoresces yellow.

3. The $100 numeral on the top left corner of the note is significantly raised above the surface of the paper, giving the paper a unique feel. This raised numeral will also allow the denomination to be more easily identified by the visually impaired.

4. The Coat of Arms and the waves near the flying fish in the centre of the banknote fluoresce green and yellow under UV light. In addition to the changes, several of the existing security features, including the highly reflective gold foil dolphin can still be found on the upgraded $100 note.

Weekes revealed that the upgraded note will be in simultaneous circulation with older issues of the $100 note. "Both the new note and those we have issued previously will be legal tender and completely acceptable as payment for goods and services," she stated.

India

March 30, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will shortly issue Rs 1,000 denomination banknotes without inset letter in both numbering of Mahatma Gandhi series, 2005. The banknotes will bear the signature of RBI governor D Subbarao. Except for the change in the inset letter, the design of these notes will similar to old banknotes.

The banknotes issued by the RBI in the past, however, will continue to be legal tender. Iris

Greenland

March 27, 2009 - In 2006 a bill was introduced for Greenland to have banknotes with its own motifs, and the Act on Banknotes in Greenland entered into force on 1 June 2007. Miki Jacobsen has been chosen by the Greenland Home Rule Government to illustrate the Greenlandic banknotes. The draft proposals are expected to be presented to the Home Rule Government in early 2009, and all the denominations are scheduled to be issued at the same time in 2011.

Info courtesy of cleo phas. Denmark National Bank

India

March 20, 2009 - The Reserve Bank of India will issue Rs 10 denomination banknotes with "L" inset letter.

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

All notes in the denomination of Rs 10 issued by the apex bank in the past will continue to be legal tender.

Tunisia

March 17, 2009 - A new 50 dinar banknote is soon due to be issued said the Governor of Tunisia's Central Bank (BCT), Mr Taoufik Baccar, on Monday.

The banknote will represent the literary scholar Ibn Rachiq Al Kairouani ten days after the launch of festivities celebrating Kairouan as Islamic Cultural Capital for 2009.

Ibn Rachiq Al Kairouani (999-1063) who was born in Mhamdia near Tunis, was a poet, writer and literary critic. He is known for his magisterial "Al Umda", a treatise of literary criticism in two volumes, written during the golden age of Arab culture.

There are currently three types of banknotes in circulation in Tunisia, ten dinar notes, twenty dinar notes and thirty dinar notes.

Iran

March 9, 2009 - Iran released into circulation a new 20,000 Rial banknote in 2009. The front is similar to previous issue but the back is now showing a mosque in Jerusalem.

courtesy of cleo phas

Bermuda

March 3, 2009 - The Bermuda Monetary Authority to release new design banknotes into circulation starting Monday, March 9. The banknotes are the first redesign of the island's currency in more than 30 years.

The new banknote series was first unveiled last year.

Designs feature typical Bermuda scenes, flora and fauna while heightened security aspects include a watermark of a hibiscus flower.