In Other News...

• The Central Bank of Paraguay has announced that a new series of guarani banknotes is underway, with the preparations likely to take more than a year.

The lower denomination notes will be printed on polymer, and the medium/high denominations on cotton paper. The denominational structure will be retained, with notes in 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 guaranis.

The sizes will be different regarding the length of the banknotes while maintaining the width of the current banknotes. Some of the colours of the existing series will be retained, but new colours will also be introduced.

• As part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of its foundation, the BEAC (Banque Centrale des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale) will introduce a new series of banknotes and coins in November (although they will not go into circulation until early next year).

The notes are in denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 CFA francs. They were last redesigned in 2002 with the exception of the 2,000 note, which was upgraded in 2015. It is not known how many of the coins in the series – which range from 1 to 500 CFA francs – will also be redesigned, although a new 250 franc coin will be introduced.

According to the BEAC, the new notes will have advanced security features and, for the first time, all the official languages of the currency union (the CEMAC zone) will appear – namely French, Spanish, English and Arabic.

• Banknotes with the name North Macedonia in denominations of 100, 1,000 and 2,000 denarii have now gone into circulation. They are the same design as the previous notes bar the name change. The 500 denarii with the new name was issued in 2021, and polymer 5 and 10 denarii in 2018. The only denomination still to be released with the new country name is the 200 denarii.

• The US Mint has begun shipping the latest coin in the American Women Quarters (AWQ). This coin, the fifth and final in the 2022 portfolio, honours Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American Hollywood film star, who appeared in more than 60 movies, including silent films and one of the first made in technicolor. She also appeared in productions on the London and New York stages.

• The Bank of Laos has issued two new banknotes – the 10,000 and 20,000 kips. They are the same design as their predecessors, but are slightly longer, which the Bank says will reduce wear and tear.

• The Central Bank of Algeria has issued a commemorative 2,000 dinar banknote marking the 31st Ordinary Session of the Council of the League of Arab States, which will be held 1-2 November in the country. It has also issued a commemorative 50 dinar coin.

The front of the note carries an image of Prince Abdul Qadir (the religious and military leader who led a struggle against the French colonial invasion of Algiers in the early 19th century), along with an image of the martyr’s shrine in Algiers, a map of the Arab world and one of Algeria. On the reverse are images of Lighthouse of the Mosque of Algeria, the Ahgar Mountains, the Roman ruins of Tipaza, a palm and a camel caravan.

• The Royal Canadian Mint has issued a new $1 circulating coin marking the 175th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Graham Bell, who was living in Canada at the time of his best-known invention, the telephone. He also invented a hydrofoil which at the time was the world's fastest marine vessel, as well as Canada’s first-ever manned powered aircraft.

The Alexander Graham Bell circulation coin is limited to a mintage of three million coins, of which two million feature a colour enhancement. It will reach Canadians through their change as bank branches and businesses replenish their inventories of $1 circulation coins.