Latest News

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

2 min read

New Facility Doubles BEP Budget for 2022

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has submitted its fiscal year 2022 budget request to Congress. The main component of the $1.9 billion requested funds is for special projects. Chief among them is $897 million for the Replacement Production Facility in Beltsville, Maryland.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

2 min read

G+D Wins CBDC Award, Takes on Banknote Collection

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) as one of the three winners of its Global CBDC Challenge, concluding the first phase of MAS’ study to explore possible retail CBDC solutions.

Banknotes Digital Currency

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

10 min read

Future of Banknote Distribution in Australia

There is no longer any doubt that cash as a means of payment is declining – not just in relative but, increasingly, in absolute terms. The recent high demand for banknotes as a store of value only masks the reduction in their use for transactions.

Banknotes Studies, Reports

Alan Newman

1 Dec. 2021

4 min read

Eye-Catching, Distinctive and Secure

At the latest count a third of all banknotes contain a diffractive feature, in the form of a patch, stripe or thread, 327 to be precise. According to Frank van der Horst of the DNB in his presentation at the recently-concluded Holography Conference, the feature is the second best in public recognition terms after watermarks – which makes one wonder why the other two thirds of banknotes don’t use one!

Banknotes Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

2 min read

New 50 Pesos Completes Mexico’s G Series

The Bank of Mexico has issued a new 50 pesos, the sixth and final note in its new G series. The front of the new note shows the foundation of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire which, according to legend, was established by the Mexica tribe in the place where they found an eagle devouring a snake.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

23 Nov. 2021

3 min read

International Awards for 3 New Banknote Holograms

Banknote holograms were winners in three of the five categories in the Excellence in Holography Awards 2021 organised by the industry trade body, the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).

Banknotes Events

Astrid Mitchell

22 Nov. 2021

3 min read

Bank of Canada Survival Analysis of Banknote Circulation

The Bank of Canada (BOC) has a Currency Inventory Management Strategy (IMS) based on its high-speed sorters that capture the image of every banknote, including the serial number, along with the date the banknote was created, shipped from the central bank’s distribution sites and returned to them.

Banknotes Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

28 Oct. 2021

1 min read

Nepal Continues Roll-Out of New Banknote Series

Nepal Rastra Bank began issuing a new series in 2020, starting with 1,000, 100 and 50 rupees. This year, despite the COVID restrictions, it has continued the programme with the issue of new 20, 10 and 5 rupee notes. The new 500 rupees is expected to follow in 2022.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

29 Sept. 2021

1 min read

More Bicentennial Celebrations

Close on the heels of Guatemala, another country in Latin America that has issued a commemorative banknote to celebrates its bicentennial this year is the Bank of Mexico, with a new 20 peso. The latest GUARDIAN® polymer banknote issued in the Bank’s G series of notes, the new 20 pesos depicts the Army of the Three Guaranties (Religion, Union and Independence) entering Mexico City on 27 September 1821.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

23 Sept. 2021

4 min read

Guatemalan Independence Creates a Banknote in a New Light

2021 is a profoundly important year for much of Central America. Guatemala celebrates its bicentennial, recognising 200 years of independence from Spain, declared on 15 September 1821 in what is known as the Act of Independence of Central America.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

27 Aug. 2021

4 min read

Environment, Cost and Social Responsibility at Heart of New Eastern Caribbean Series

This March, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) issued its new $5 polymer banknote into circulation, completing the transition of the Eastern Caribbean dollar to De La Rue’s SAFEGUARD® polymer that began in 2019. According to the ECCB, the reasons for the transition were threefold – the environment, cost, and security.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

26 Aug. 2021

1 min read

Krypten Plans Release of 3D-GRAM® CONTRUST

Next month, Russian secure hologram company producer KRYPTEN will introduce the 100/50 Nobelists house note, featuring a new 3D-GRAM® CONTRUST photopolymer security patch for use on paper and polymer banknotes.

Banknotes Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

26 Aug. 2021

1 min read

A Colourful Celebration Guatemalan Independence

The Bank of Guatemala has published the designs of its new commemorative 20 quetzales banknote and 1 quetzal coin marking the country’s bicentennial anniversary. This will be the first commemorative banknote in the Bank’s history.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

26 Aug. 2021

1 min read

IBDA – New Perspectives

The International Banknote Designers Association (IBDA) has launched a series of New Perspective webinars to keep the industry focused on the wider perspectives regarding innovation and emerging trends, threats and challenges to banknotes, and the ‘bigger picture’ on payments and emerging technologies.

Banknotes Events

Mark Spencer

26 Aug. 2021

3 min read

Diversity Exemplified in G7 Banknote Denominations

The recent meeting of the G7 (Group of Seven, an inter-governmental political forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US) held in the UK prompted De La Rue to look at the banknotes of the participating countries, which threw up some interesting divergences in their approaches to banknote security.

Banknotes Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

29 July 2021

4 min read

Honduran Bicentennial Banknote Celebrates Education and Environment

The Republic of Honduras is located in Central America, bordering on many countries – to the west Guatemala, to the southwest El Salvador and to the southeast Nicaragua.

Banknotes Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

29 July 2021

4 min read

EverFit Takes Step Forward with New Portals/Banque de France Agreement

The banknote paper manufacturer Portals has signed a licence agreement with the Banque de France (BdF) for its multi-layer banknote technology, EverFit®.

Banknotes Companies Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

29 July 2021

3 min read

In Other News…

The Bank of Scotland, one of Scotland’s three note issuing banks, has released its new polymer £50 note, featuring Sir Walter Scott and the Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift in central Scotland that connects two major canals.

Banknotes Coins News

Astrid Mitchell

29 July 2021

1 min read

New Features Sought for US Currency

The design of the next generation of US currency is underway, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is now looking for new ways to integrate covert machine-readable features into future versions that could be used to detect and deter counterfeiting.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

29 July 2021

5 min read

SPARK® – the Innovation Journey Continues to FLOW

SPARK® has proved to be one of the most successful and widely used anti-counterfeiting features for banknotes since its launch in 2006.

Banknotes Substrates, Features