Today Barack Obama was re-elected as president of the United States but their neighbours to the north also have cause for celebration. Because today the new 20 Dollar banknote is released to the general public in Canada.
Recent articles on this beautiful new note can be found here and here.
Today the new banknotes of South Africa featuring Nelson Mandela are released to the general public! Read more about them in a recent post or view the promotion material on the official site.
The new notes come in 5 different denominations with an image of Nelson Mandela on the front and the animals of the Big Five on the back.
On November 7th the new 20 Dollar will be released to the public in Canada. To announce this event Canada has unveiled a giant image of the note on the side of the Central Bank building.
This has sparked some controversy in Canada due to the costs for this piece of art. The image costs almost $40.000 to design, produce and install. This is of course a large sum for you or me but to be honest: is it that much for a publicity campaign? I don't know.
But that's not the only turmoil surrounding the introduction of the new banknote. Apparently some Canadians have been outraged that the pictures of three naked women and the Twin Towers are on their new money.
Yes, this is the moment where you probably should raise your eyebrows...
What they view as a weird semi-pornographic image is actually the Vimy Memorial in northern France, a monument for Canadian soldiers who died in the First World War. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story I guess. On November 7th everyone can view the new banknotes for themselves at their local sexshop bank.
Australia is developing new banknotes. This project, called Next Generation Bank Note, has started five years ago and so far it has cost 9,3 million Australian dollar (about 7,4 million euro). Supposedly, the Reserve Bank of Australia is running two years behind schedule according to Australian newspapers but they (of course) refuse to comment on this delicate subject.
But now a new set of approved designs had surfaced which will serve as a basis for the final designs. You might notice that queen Elizabeth II is missing from these notes. Don't be alarmed: the central bank has already proclaimed that the queen will appear on the issued note. The new banknotes promise to have a more youthful appearance and will be updated with the latest security features. The approved designs are made by Garry Emery, a designer from Melbourne who also designed the current banknotes in circulation.
I can see the youthful appearance but 'Monopoly' is also something which springs to mind seeing these designs. Due to the complicated process of developing new banknotes, the Aussies will have to wait for a few more years before they have new money in their wallet.
We had election night in the Netherlands. The PVV (Freedom Party) distributed banknotes amongst their supporters picturing their leader Geert Wilders on an old 100 gulden banknote. This in support of their wish to leave the euro and return to our former currency, the gulden. The banknotes were made by Benny Wezenberg, a transport company owner and PVV supporter. A spokesperson of the Dutch Central Bank said they were monitoring the action to see if the public wouldn't be confused in thinking it was real money.
Confusion over a banknote with Wilders on it?? Rrrright… Later the spokesperson said it is the duty of the Central Bank to monitor all money being used in the Netherlands and to make sure no fake money enters the system. If it doesn't then they would regard this 'new' note as a joke.
By the way, the stunt had little effect on the results which can be viewed here.
Update: How nice! I tweeted NOS reporterRon Fresen who was there on election night asking him if he can get a Wilders banknote for me and he will try to send me one!
Update 2: Yes! The banknote has arrived and is added as a fantasy note to my collection.
Yesterday the South African Reserve Bank started the campain to inform the public on the new banknotes. Before the end of 2012 the new series will enter circulation. On the front of all the new banknotes will be former president Nelson Mandela. The reverse shows one of the Big Five animals which are already on all current South African banknotes.
I really like the new designs and I give them a good chance to compete in the next Banknote of the Year election. If you want to add this set to your own collection: a 100 Rand equals about 10 euro at the moment. So for just 36 euro the whole set could be yours.
As a collector of paper money I have a strong preference for 'beautiful money'. A colorful design with lots of details showing is what I like to add to my collection. No matter what its value is. Now Costa Rica will be issuing new banknotes soon. Three new banknotes which would be a great addition to any collection of beautiful money. The banknotes with a nominal value of 5000, 10.000 en 50.000 Colon will enter circulation on August 27.
The new notes are part of the very nice looking series with which Costa Rica has spoiled us collectors. Already issued are the 1000, 2000 en 20.000 Colones. The complete series is here for your enjoyment:
The next Papermoney Fair Maastricht is due for its autumn edition. The 29th and 30th of September collectors can visit the usual location in Valkenburg a/d Geul. At this moment 116 traders have signed up. More info about the event can be found on this website.
The National Bank of Argentina has announced it will issue a new commemorative banknote of 100 Peso with the image of Evita Perón on the front. About 20 million pieces will be distributed and it is issued in commemoration of her death 60 years ago.
More info on Evita Perón can be found here. After the 'read on' you can watch a video of the presentation of this banknote.
The announcement of new bankotes is always something to cheer about but especially when it's Thai money. I'm a real sucker for their commemorative notes and have acquired quite a few already. They're not really difficult to get because in Thailand every birthday or wedding day of the royal family is cause for celebration and a new banknote it seems. That's great news for collectors!
Yesterday the National Bank of Thailand released a message (PDF) where it announced two new commemorative banknotes. The first one is an 80 Baht note in celebration of the 80th birthday of queen Sirikit. The note 80 mm wide and can be bought in Thailand for 120 Baht in a special folder. Two million copies will be available from the 9th of August.
The second banknote is a 100 Baht commemorating the birthday of crown prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. This one is sold in 10 million copies from July the 27th. The front of the note is the same as a regular 100 Baht. The back depicts the prince in a portrait and the moment he was 'crowned' as the crown prince.
Prijzen, PRIJZEN!! De leden van de IBNS (waaronder uw verslaggever) hebben weer de jaarlijkse winnaar gekozen van het mooiste nieuwe bankbiljet. Hier nog een keer de genomineerden.
En de winnaar is: Kazachstan met het nieuwe biljet van 10.000 Tenge. Op de tweede en derde plek eindigden respectievelijk de Canadese 100 Dollar (die mijn keuze was) en de 100 Pond uit Gibraltar. Persoonlijk vond ik de Kazachse nominatie een potpourri van allerlei kitscherige elementen en ik prefereer ook een horizontale oriëntatie voor een biljet, maar toch van harte gefeliciteerd. Winnaars uit voorgaande jaren zijn hier te zien.
Update: iemand heeft al een exemplaar in handen gehad en wat blijkt: het groen lijkt toch wat minder groen dan de Bank of Canada wil doen geloven. Zie deze foto maar eens. Nu maar even afwachten of deze fotograaf wellicht ook wat met de kleuren heeft gespeeld.
Sweden has announced what the design of the upcoming new banknotes will be. The new notes will be issued in 2015 and 2016 and will show famous Swedish people from the world of culture and politics.
I think the design is great, but who expected otherwise with Greta Garbo on a banknote?
20 kronor: Astrid Lindgren (writer), Småland, issued October 2015
Vandaag is de laatste dag van de Paper Money Fair in Valkenburg a/d Geul maar gisteren ben ik al geweest. Het was mijn eerste bezoek aan deze grootste papiergeldbeurs ter wereld. Eerlijke eerste reactie? Het viel een beetje tegen. Ten eerste is het een roteind rijden voor je eindelijk in zo ongeveer het meest zuidelijke punt van het land bent. Je verkijkt je toch snel op de afstand en de tijd. Daarbij kwam nog, eenmaal binnen, dat ik de presentatie van wat te zien was op zijn zachtst gezegd rommelig vond. Oude mappen volgepropt met biljetten lagen her en der over elkaar gegooid. Er waren maar weinig dealers die een nette bak of map hadden waar je overzichtelijk in kon zoeken.
Wat aangeboden werd, was overigens wel mooi. Iets té mooi want de prijzen logen er niet om. Ik had eerlijk gezegd verwacht dat je op deze beurs ook een voordelige slag kon slaan. Helaas trokken sommige dealers zich niks aan van cataloguswaarde of gangbare verkoopbedragen op eBay. Meest stuitende voorbeeld was een biljet dat ik via internet voor iets meer dan een tientje kan kopen maar waar hier ruim 800 euro(!!) voor gevraagd werd. Op mijn vraag waarom deze zo overprijsd was, kwam alleen maar een schouderophalen. Niet erg netjes.
De meeste dealers hielden vooral rekening met grote semi-professionele verzamelaars en hadden voornamelijk biljetten van vele honderden en soms duizenden euro's neergelegd. Als ik vroeg of er ook wat betaalbaarders meegenomen was, volgde soms een nee en soms werd ik na mijn vraag verder genegeerd of werd haastig in de richting van een mandje gewezen. Daar lag dan wat veredeld wc-papier dat alsnog voor een paar euro werd verkocht.
Gelukkig was het niet alleen kommer en kwel. Leuk was het om bijvoorbeeld de verschillende rituelen te zien die verzamelaars en dealers hadden. Sommigen besnuffelden een biljet, spreidden het over hun arm alsof het de lijkwade van Turijn was en hadden tientallen ingewikkelde geschreven(!) lijsten propvol getallen bij zich waar ze zwetend over gebogen zaten.
Ook had ik nu de kans om een paar zeer mooie bankbiljetten (mooi 1, 2, 3 en 4) in het echt te zien en als ik mijn duim op de prijssticker hield, kon ik toch even dromen. Uiteindelijk met een paar biljetten thuisgekomen, waaronder één die ik al graag wilde hebben. Zie het bericht over de nieuwe aanwinsten.
In de herfst is de volgende editie van de beurs, maar ik acht de kans niet heel groot dat ik weer 400+ kilometer ga rijden.
Vanwege het diamanten jubileum van de troonsbestijging van Elizabeth II vinden er overal in de Britse Commonwealth festiviteiten plaats en worden herinneringen uitgegeven. Zo ook speciale bankbiljetten. Het eilandje Jersey gaat speciaal voor deze gelegenheid een biljet van 100 Pond uitgeven waarvan het ontwerp net vrijgegegen is.
Mijn mening? Elizabeth II heeft wel betere portretten gehad, zoals één van deze 28 varianten.
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.