"De La Rue, the world’s largest commercial designer and printer of currency, has been appointed by Sveriges Riksbank, the world’s oldest central bank, to produce the Swedish Krona for the next three years.
This prestigious contract is one of the most sought after in the industry and reinforces De La Rue’s position as the market leader in currency design and print. There is the potential for the contract to be extended for a further four years at De La Rue’s printing site in the UK."
The European Central Bank has presented the new banknotes of 100 and 200 euro. These are the last two banknotes of the second 'Europa' series since the 500-euro note won't be printed anymore. The new notes will start circulating from 28 May 2019.
From the press release: "The new €100 and €200 banknotes make use of new and innovative security features. Just like the other denominations, the new notes are easy to check when using the “feel, look and tilt” method. At the top of the silvery stripe a satellite hologram shows small € symbols that move around the number and become clearer under direct light. The silvery stripe also shows the portrait of Europa, the architectural motif and a large € symbol. The new €100 and €200 banknotes also feature an enhanced emerald number. While the emerald number itself is present on all the other notes of the Europa series, this enhanced version also shows € symbols inside the numerals.
The new €100 and €200 notes are a different size to the old €100 and €200 notes. Both denominations are now the same height as the €50 banknote. However, their length remains unchanged – the longer the note, the higher the value. Since the €50, €100 and €200 banknotes are now the same height, they can be more easily handled and processed by machines. They will also fit better in people’s wallets and last longer, as they will be subject to less wear and tear.
In addition to the security features that can be seen with the naked eye, euro banknotes also contain machine-readable security features. On the new €100 and €200 banknotes these features have been enhanced, and new ones have been added to enable the notes to be processed and authenticated swiftly. As Executive Board Member Yves Mersch highlighted in his speech unveiling the new banknotes, with the changeover to the new €100 and €200 the entire set of euro banknotes will continue to offer strong protection against counterfeiting. This makes euro banknotes even more secure, but also easier to check and handle."
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has announced plans for the introduction of a new banknote series of the Eastern Caribbean dollar. This currency is used by the independent states Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The other two countries which use the Eastern Carribean dollar are British overseas territories: Anguilla and Montserrat.
The new series will have a vertical orientation and will be made of polymer. The notes will be in the same denomination as the current series and will also keep the same color scheme. The designs on the note will be new however. The new notes will have some the usual elements we see in other polymer notes: holographic windows and embossed tactile geometric shapes for the visually impaired. The new notes will be issued mid-2019.
So what do you think about the design? Does it seem a bit... full perhaps?
The Czech National Bank has issued two updated versions of their 100- and 200-korun banknotes. For the most part the design remains the same but there have been some changes in the security features. The new notes circulate side-by-side with the existing ones. The versions of the 100-korun note that were put into circulation in 1995 and 1997 and the versions of the 200-korun note that were issued in 1996 and 1998 will remain legal tender and will be gradually replaced by the new version depending on their degree of wear.
Some of the updates include:
omron rings
a 3 mm wide puce-to-green windowed security thread with different demetalized text
an electrotype element added to watermark
green and orange fluorescent ink
To see more changes, check out these informative folders:
The new Mexican banknote of 500 pesos is the first of a new family of notes that the Banco de México will be introducing over the next couple of years. Each banknote will show a different period of Mexico’s history, its flora and fauna and areas that have been declared "Natural Patrimony of Humanity" by UNESCO.
50 pesos: Pre-Columbian era. Foundation of Mexico City, Tenotchitlan / Rivers and lakes – Ajolote (salamander), corn, Xochimilco. Expected to be released in the first half of 2022. Probably to be printed on polymer substrate.
100 pesos : Colonial era. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Monarch butterfly / Pine and holm trees, Monarch butterfly biosphere, Expected to be released in the second half of 2021. Probably to be printed on polymer substrate.
200 pesos: Independence War period, Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos / Eagle and saguaro cactus, El Pinacate and Desert of Altar biosphere. Expected to be released in the second half of 2019.
1,000 pesos: Revolution period. Portraits of Francisco I. Madero, Hermila Galindo and Carmen Serdán / Jaguar, ceiba and sapote, Mayan city of Calakmul. Expected to be released in first half of 2020.
2,000 pesos: Contemporary period. Portraits of Octavio Paz and Rosario Castellanos / Magueyero bat and agave, Agave field and old tequila installation. To be issued only if circumstances require it.
The Central Bank of Venezuela has finally issued new banknotes with new denominations in bolívares soberanos to curb the disastrous inflation which is crippling the country.
Just to keep reminding everybody: Venezuela could potentially be one of the richest countries in the world. Behold the power of complete mismanagement... Don't bother looking up what you could buy with these new notes: they will probably be worthless in a few months.
The Banco de Mexico will announce a new banknote of 500 pesos on 27 August 2018, El Universal reports. The new note will probably be made of polymer and will probably have a new design.
The new note is necesssary since the 500-pesos note is the most widely used in the country and therefore damaged quickly.
Instant update: here's what the new note looks like:
The European Central Bank will officially unveil the design of the new 100- and 200-euro banknotes on 17 September 2018, according to Le Vif. The two notes will be issued in the first half of 2019.
These two notes will be the last new designs in the current Europa-series. The 500-euro note won't get a new design as it won't be printed anymore.
According to Al Ain the Central Bank of Yemen has introduced a new 200-rial note on 15 August 2018. The new note is 150 x 69 mm and has the Zabid Castle on the front.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has announced it will start to issue its new 200-francs banknote from 22 August 2018. From the press release:
"The inspiration behind the new banknote series is 'The many facets of Switzerland'. Each denomination depicts a typically Swiss characteristic, which is then illustrated graphically using a range of elements. The 200-franc note focuses on Switzerland's scientific expertise, as expressed by matter, the note's key motif. Core design elements in the new series are the hand and the globe, which appear on every denomination.
As with the banknotes currently in circulation, the ninth series consists of six denominations; the colour scheme, too, remains the same. Accordingly, the main colour of the new 200-franc note is brown. However, the format has been modified – the new notes are smaller and thus easier to handle. The innovative combination of complex security features and sophisticated design provides state-of-the-art anti-counterfeiting protection.
The next denomination, the 1000-franc note, will be presented on 5 March 2019 and enter circulation on 13 March 2019. The last denomination in the new series, the 100-franc note, is to be issued in autumn 2019. The SNB will announce the precise issue date well in advance."
This note will be highly anticipated by collectors. The last two released banknotes went on to become Banknote of the Year and this note looks great again.
The Bank of Zambia has announced that it will issue a series of improved banknotes. They're mostly security related changes but other than the changes listed below, the design will stay the same.
First the 2- and 5-kwacha notes will be issued in August 2018, the other denominations will follow.
The changes are:
20-, 50- and 100-kwacha
A new security feature called SPARKLIVE has been incorporated in the figure on the lower right hand side to further shield these banknotes from being counterfeited. This security feature will exhibit three overt visual characteristics i.e. color- shift properties, optical brightness and dynamic light effects.
A 5mm optically visible four window security thread with micro optical dynamic effects has replaced the hologram on the three denominations.
The ‘birds in flight’ feature has shifted from the right edge of the back of the banknote to the left edge
“The tactile mark” for the visually impaired have now been put on both edges of the banknotes to enhance tactility or the feel effect.
10-kwacha
A new four-window security thread will replace the hologram on the front of the banknote.
Tactile marks for the visually impaired have been put on both edges of the banknote to enhance tactility.
2- and 5-kwacha
Different images (dove, text K2 and K5) appear as a new glossy varnish with a blind embossing for ease of identification.
Tactile marks for the visually impaired have been put on both edges of the banknotes to enhance tactility.
Update 9-11-2018: all the new notes will be issued on 10 November 2018.
And while we're visiting our former Dutch colonies, let's look at Curacao and St. Maarten who might also be planning a new series of banknotes. The notes could be planned for introduction in 2021.
According to MRI Guide the Centrale Bank van Aruba is planning to issue a new family of banknotes around 2020. Aruba uses the Aruban florin as its currency which is pegged to the US dollar.
Aruba was once part of the Netherlands but is now a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. To learn more about this remarkable construction, I highly recommend this video by CGP Grey.
Consistent with the current series, the new series will consist of five denominations, each adopting the same colour scheme. It is the first time that the thematic subjects on the reverse side of the NIBs’ new series banknotes are standardised for each denomination to facilitate easy recognition by the public. The selected thematic subjects represent different aspects of Hong Kong as an international metropolis, featuring its rhythm of life, recreation and entertainment, as well as its rich natural and cultural heritage. The five denominations depict respectively the position of Hong Kong as international financial centre (HK$1,000), the spectacular Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark (HK$500), Cantonese opera as our art and cultural legacy (HK$100), butterflies that inhabit Hong Kong (HK$50), and the popular dim sum and tea culture (HK$20). For aesthetic presentation of the subject and easy distinction from previous series, the reverse side of the banknote is in vertical orientation instead of the traditional horizontal layout.
The designs of all five denominations were unveiled today. The HK$1,000 and HK$500 notes will be put into circulation in the last quarter of 2018 and early 2019 respectively, and the lower denominations of HK$100, HK$50 and HK$20 will be ready for issue in batches between 2019 and 2020.
The new banknotes have incorporated advanced security features. Their placement on the banknotes is uniform across all five denominations. The six key features are:
Dynamic shimmering pattern – when the note is tilted, the shimmering ring in the pattern moves correspondingly.
Windowed metallic thread – when the note is tilted, the large and small rings on the metallic thread move correspondingly.
Enhanced watermark – the theme of the bauhinia flower is used such that the flower, leaves, bud and denomination numeral can be seen when the note is held up to the light.
Fluorescent see-through denomination – the patterns on the front and back, which are of a single colour under normal light, will appear as two fluorescent colours when exposed to ultraviolet light. The patterns on the front and back fit perfectly to form the denomination numeral when the note is held up to the light.
Concealed denomination – when the note is tilted under the light, the denomination numeral hidden in the background can be seen.
Embossed feel – raised printing gives the note a strong embossed feel by touch."
OK... So here are the images of banknotes we have so far:
Hello, I'm Steven Bron and welcome to this special blog on banknotes with a space and astronomy theme! My primary focus is on notes that show astronomers and their work, solar systems, planets, constellation, space crafts, satellites, observatories, telescopes and so on. My goal is to describe every banknote from around the world with such a theme.
You can find my main blog on the world of banknotes by clicking here.
Disclaimer: most of the pictures on this blog are from Banknoteworld.com.
The Sveriges Riksbank will have its krona banknotes printed by De la Rue for the next three years. De la Rue announced this news on their website with this press release. 
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