Note and Coin News

The Central Bank of Lesotho is issuing new 10 and 20 maloti banknotes which have the same design as the current notes but which will be the first to feature Anima™ security threads from Oberthur Fiduciaire, via its partnership with (and subsequent acquisition of a majority stake in) Rolling Optics.

Anima is the company’s micro-optics solution, combining lenticular lenses with high resolution printing to provide effects of movement and depth along with colour.

Both denominations will carry a 4mm wide Anima thread containing Switch and Grow movement effects, replacing the Dualtrack® threads that appear in the current notes. The threads feature Lesotho’s national symbol, the Basotho hat (called the Mokorotle), as an expression of the country’s cultural heritage.

Lesotho has an economy in transition and its government is focused on durable strategies that conserve the environment and its natural assets. The new banknotes reflect this focus; 20% of the substrate is made from natural sisal fibres and Highlink™ has been added to improve their performance in circulation. Highlink is a type of latex added during the paper making process and acts as a glue, creating stronger bonds between the fibres and thereby increasing the internal strength of the substrate. The notes have also been coated with Bioguard™, Oberthur’s anti- viral and anti-bacterial treatment.