Banknotes
Bank of Canada unveils new banknote
New C$20 polymer banknote unveiled by Bank of Canada; enhanced security features aimed at thwarting counterfeiters
UK banks exceed BoE target for £5 note dispensing
Bank of England reveals UK banks surpassed target of 1.2% of ATM dispense being in £5 notes; aim to increase levels of "good quality" notes in circulation
Riksbank unveils winner of new banknote design competition
Winner chosen in Riksbank's design competition for new Swedish banknotes; reverse of notes will feature images of geographic landmarks, including the bridge between Sweden and Denmark
Bank of Lithuania warns of stained banknotes after ATM theft
Bank of Lithuania advises against accepting banknotes stained with ink; fears raised that such notes could be result of ATM theft in the country
Malaysia announces circulation date for new banknotes
Bank Negara Malaysia reveals new banknotes will enter into circulation in July this year; work being carried out to ensure “smooth transition” in the country
Zambia plans to start printing new currency by May
Bank of Zambia announces printing, minting and distribution of new banknotes and coins will be under way by May 2012
Bank of Canada celebrates new $50 note entering circulation
New note is second in series of polymer banknotes for Canada; first to be made available via automated banking machines
Namibia issues first new banknotes in 19 years
Bank of Namibia releases second issue of banknotes since country attained independence in 1990; new notes incorporate improved security features
Denmark releases annual report and appoints new directors
National Bank of Denmark annual report covers decision to relocate Royal Danish Mint and reveals profit fell last year; Jørgen Strandgaard and Kjeld Johannesen chosen as new directors
Draghi defends high-value euro banknotes
Letter to MEP Nikolaos Salavrakos outlines reasons for having €200 and €500 banknotes
Turkey reveals new currency symbol
Turkish prime minister leads ceremony at the Central Bank of Turkey to unveil the new symbol for the lira
BoE looking 'carefully' at banknote substrate choices
Chris Salmon, chief cashier at the Bank of England, says the possibility of polymer or hybrid substrate banknotes is being looked at by the central bank; no decision made yet
Lithuania continues restructure of operations
Bank of Lithuania continues “optimising” operations; will concentrate key functions within specialised services and close a vault
A new toolkit for eurozone survival
The eurozone’s short-term outlook depends on markets, voters, bureaucrats and politicians. Its longer term future requires radical change. Andrew Smithers considers the conditions that are needed for the eurozone to survive
Central bankers attend Financial Action Task Force meeting
Central bankers from many of the 136 member countries of FATF share thoughts on combating money laundering
Nazis “destroyed confidence” in BoE notes with expert counterfeits
MI5 report from 1945 says Nazis destroyed confidence in British banknotes; produced counterfeits of such high quality it was “impossible” for a lay person to tell them from the real thing
Philippines warns on fake commemorative banknotes
Central Bank of the Philippines denies issuing a 150 piso commemorative banknote; asks the pubic to report any information on the ‘fictitious’ notes to the authorities
New South African banknotes will portray image of Mandela
First democratically elected president of South Africa honoured in currency redesign; new notes expected by the end of 2012
Central banks find novel uses for old banknotes
Central Bank of Ireland makes old notes into artwork; National Bank of Hungary offers the decommissioned banknotes to charities to burn for heating purposes
SNB announces year-long delay on new banknotes
Problems with suppliers mean the new Swiss banknotes will not enter circulation until the end of 2013 at the earliest; latest hiccup in long process of renewing the currency
Norges Bank announces end date for public to exchange old banknotes
Norwegians have until November 2012 to exchange old series of banknotes before they are rendered worthless, 11 years after new currency series was introduced
Queen's portraits from banknotes and coins to appear on stamps
New stamps issued to celebrate the Queen’s diamond jubilee; first time the official portraits from banknotes, coins and stamps have been brought together
Estonian central bank finds public retaining kroons as memento
Bank of Estonia study finds 81% of respondents are holding on to some kroon cash; not using it for savings shows confidence in the euro, says head of cash and security department
Finland commemorates the end of the markka
New book describes the history of Finnish banknotes and museum exhibition displays competition entries for past currency design contests