Banknotes
Seychelles to demonetise old 100- and 500-rupee notes
Improved security features need to be “put to best use”, says the central bank; the general public have until June 29 to spend or exchange the old banknotes
New Australian $10 to feature works of native authors
RBA launches second banknote in new series, celebrating native authors; new note will feature similar security elements to new A$5 launched last year
BoE says launch of £10 to go ahead, despite tallow traces
UK central bank will continue to print the £10 on the same substrate as the controversial fiver; options may be reconsidered for the £20
Communications are Canada’s forte, latest set of awards show
Bank of Canada scoops Central Banking’s Transparency Award for 2017, while currency providers dominate the market practitioner categories
Consultancy and advisory services provider of the year (bespoke): Innovia Security
Polymer bank note provider also offers a suite of advisory services from design through to recycling to prepare central banks for the transition to ‘plastic’ bank notes, as highlighted in Nicaragua
Banknote and currency services provider of the year: Crane Currency
Leading micro-optics provider continues to deliver a full range of services from design to print to a large number of central banks around the world to ensure integrity of cash
National Bank of Poland to release new highest value banknote
500-zloty note will enter circulation on February 10 and be the last of the new series, which was first announced in 2014
ECB reports 20.7% drop in number of counterfeits
Number of counterfeits ticked up in the second half of 2016, but annual figures are down; €50 note still dominates in terms of counterfeit volume, with new note to be released in April
‘Humiliated’ RBI staff urge Patel to resist ‘unwarranted’ government interference
Reserve Bank of India staff send impassioned letter to governor to protect the central bank’s autonomy; finance ministry objects to claims, stating central bank is fully independent
Bank of Israel cuts 2017 budget as building and banknote projects wind down
Central bank continues process of budgetary restraint as it unveils work plan for 2017; spending on renovation and new technology and emergency centre falls
Polymer banknote provider Innovia bought for $845 million
Innovia bought by Canadian competitor following a “successful” year; CCL to build on the polymer provider's expertise in the field
Venezuela’s Maduro backtracks on bolivar withdrawal
Venezuelan currency crisis continues with delay of new series and re-integration of 100 bolivar note, as president blames “international sabotage”
Macedonian notes: world’s first security thread in long window
New designs entering circulation feature De La Rue’s Kinetic StarChrome; central bank also begins withdrawal of the D5,000 note
Sama unveils new banknote designs with updated features
Six denominations to feature new security thread and improved features for the visually impaired; new coin design also launched by Saudi central bank
Venezuela removes largest banknote amid contraband concerns
Government authorises removal of 100 bolivar bill to combat “mafias”; nation also closes border with Colombia amid “economic war”
Civil rights activist to appear on new Canadian $10 banknote
Viola Desmond will appear on new C$10 note, to be printed in 2018; Bank of Canada to repeat "bankNOTEable” campaign when seeking candidates for new C$5 note
Ink rubbing off notes ‘quite normal’, says Zimbabwe governor
Despite public outcry, governor says bond notes have so far been a success; launch of second tranche to bring total value of bond notes in circulation to $17 million
Patel defends approach to banknote crisis, as RBI holds
Governor offers some clarity on progress with note withdrawals and question of “extinguishing” parts of balance sheet; rate hold surprises market
Venezuela central bank launches new banknotes amid soaring inflation
The bolivar has weakened to unprecedented levels as inflation soars and political instability engulfs the nation; new note series’ highest denomination is 200 times larger than current highest
Tallow controversy forces Innovia to look at alternatives
Innovia to seek alternative to tallow as traces of animal extracts in the Bank of England's new ‘fiver’ sparks global review; Canadian and Australian banknotes also contain traces in guardian substrate
Seychelles issues first full banknote series in 18 years
The central bank spends around $2.6 million producing new series; SCR10 note transformed into coin in the new series, while the SCR500 note gets a facelift
RBI moves to soak up liquidity generated by cash crisis
Deposits of old banknotes have led to surge in liquidity, which is now showing up as pressure on the bond market
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe releases ‘bond notes’ amid public anger
Bond notes to be released in smaller denominations first, central bank explains, to help reassure general public; social media reflects fears over new currency with some retailers already refusing to accept it
Norway unveils final banknote designs
Banknote designs eschew traditional inclusion of portraits, opting instead for geometric patterns and coastal images