Kings, Dragons and Leopards All Feature in Asia’s Regional Banknote of the Year Awards

The Regional Banknote and ID Document of the Year Awards form part of the industry’s High Security Printing (HSP) Asia conference, the latest of which recently concluded in Bangkok, Thailand.

There are three categories for the banknote awards – Best New Series, Best New Banknote, and Best New Commemorative Banknote – with Tonga, China, Thailand, and Kazakhstan all receiving recognition this year.

Best New Banknote Series

The award for the Best New Banknote Series went to the National Reserve Bank of Tonga for its new series of Pa’anga banknotes. The series was launched on 4 December 2023, the birthday of the late King Tupou I, the first ruler of modern Tonga.

The notes, which replaced the 2015 series, were designed and printed by De La Rue, and are in six denominations, ranging from 2 to 100 pa’angas (T$). The two most heavily used notes – the T$5 and T$10 – are on SAFEGUARD® polymer, with a transparent window incorporating an image of the current king, Tupou VI.