Innehållsförteckning för September 2025 från Banknote Reporter

The letter "r" is commonly used by notaphilists to indicate a replacement note. It is often followed by the descriptive word "replacement" and the reason it was replaced. However, the letter "r" is also used as a normal variant, marking a slight change in a series of notes, most commonly because of a signature or date change. The same can be said for the letter "s," which is usually reserved for specimen bank notes. As with replacement notes, the "s" is followed by the word "specimen." It is also used for variations of a bank note. This past month, we were able to add almost 400 bank notes. The most were from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo),…

It’s always challenging to determine just how many bank notes on which an obsolete design appears remain in circulation. The Bank of England has not released any statistics regarding the number of notes on which the vignette of the late Queen Elizabeth II remains outstanding. The Bank of Japan, on the other hand, has recently indicated that despite new bank notes having been released in July 2024, one year later, the new notes represented a mere 28.8% of what one would find in consumers’ wallets. When Japanese bank notes were redesigned in 2004, these new bills were adopted much sooner and represented 61.1% of all notes in circulation. Times have changed since 2004. There were more bank notes circulating 21 years ago than today; cashless payment systems are in much…

India has problems with its currency. As the nation faces a serious issue with counterfeit bank notes, there is debate about the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) not introducing a 50-rupee (₹50) coin. India’s Fake Currency Problem India currently circulates bank notes in denominations of ₹5, ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, ₹200, ₹500, and ₹2,000. The ₹2,000 bank note denomination is no longer being issued; however, the notes in circulation are still considered to be legal tender. In 2024, the South Asia Terrorism Portal reported 21 arrests for counterfeiting bank notes. As of July 13, 2025, the total number of arrests for counterfeiting stands at 2,737. According to the RBI Annual Report for 2024–2025, 4.7% of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) were detected. Commercial banks identified an additional 95.3% of the…

The BNR show calendar listings are restricted to those shows which have a specific paper money focus or which are large enough so that a significant number of tables of interest to currency collectors might be expected. Abbreviations used include, A: admission charge, if any; T: number of tables, () : number of numismatic-related tables at a multi-hobby show; n/a: information not available. ALABAMA Sep 27 AL, Trussville. Central Alabama Coin Show. Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville-Clay Road. SP: Alabama Numismatic Society. SH: 9AM-4PM. A: Free. T: 38. F: $70. Carl Shory. PH: 205-612-5538 or cbshory@gmail.com. ARIZONA Sep 14 AZ, Phoenix. Camelback Collectibles Coin Show. El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium, 552 N 40th St.. A: Free. Bill Jernigan. PH: 480-650-1255 or xavier-coins.bill@gmail.com. Oct 12 AZ, Phoenix. Camelback Collectibles Coin Show. El…

Kagin’s went digital this past year with a 1934 $100,000 U.S. gold certificate specimen note, but not in the way you might expect. Rather than selling what is known to collectors and historians as one of the largest denominations of U.S. paper currency through an online store or digital auction to a deep-pocketed buyer, the currency dealer offered digital shares of the note as a non-fungible token (NFT), which was equated at the minimum price of one five-hundredth (1/500) of a share. Buyers proved to be attracted to this new trend, as all shares sold out quickly upon the sale’s release. Digital assets were also for sale at Heritage Auctions’ June 6, 2025, Physical Cryptocurrency Featuring the Otoh Collection, Part IV Platinum Session Signature® Auction. In contrast to Kagin’s approach,…

Inspired by NumisMaster’s recently updated bank note listings, here is a curated selection that showcases paper currency from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo), as well as other countries across Western Africa. Featured are notes from current nations and former states alike, spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries. View these issues and more on NumisMaster.com.…

Some notes simply have it all. This note from Riverdale, California, submitted by Robert Calderman, is from a small town at the center of California’s Central Valley, 26 miles due south of Fresno, adjacent to the Kings River. Owing to its small population, the bank was organized in 1912 as a minimally capitalized national bank with a capital of $25,000, under the Gold Standard Act of March 14, 1900. As such, the bankers circulated what is magically recognized in national bank note collecting circles as $6,250, a pocket change circulation that remained unchanged from 1912 to 1935. Sure, the note is from the first sheet of “Series of 1929” $10s. More importantly, notice that E. L. Julien signed as both president and cashier, something he did from 1927 through 1935.…

Do you want to collect paper currency that is attractive, available, and affordable? Have you considered collecting checks? There are certainly many available, and they are very inexpensive. I have included several examples in this article that might get you thinking about them. I was at a show a number of years ago, and after two days, I hadn’t found anything that appealed to me. I had already put together several various sets—$1s, $2s, $5s, nationals, and so forth. My problem was that the notes I needed were either rare, i.e., unavailable, or just not to be found at that particular show. I stopped at the table of a dealer I knew, looking for a note to trip my trigger. Then I saw something I hadn’t thought of before, but…

You can use your euro coins and bank notes virtually anywhere within the European Union’s eurozone…or can you? In theory, you should be able to spend your euros in all 20 EU countries without any problems. Spain is one of those countries, but the rules for paying with your EU currency in that nation have recently changed. Spain is now implementing changes to its euro cash regulations aimed at modernizing the currency system, enhancing security, and deterring financial crime. At the heart of this are older and tattered bank notes as well as low-denomination coins. You might consider shrugging off this news and using a credit card or mobile payment when visiting the country. This may work in large population centers, but in other parts of Spain, cash remains an…

Yemen The Houthi-controlled Central Bank in Sana'a has released a new 200-riyal bank note. On the front, the bill features the Al Janad Mosque in Ta'izz and tankers at Aden’s Al Ma'alla port on the back. It is colored in pink, light blue, yellow, and black, with a holographic coat of arms stripe. This note was denounced by the Yemeni government-run Central Bank in Aden. Namibia The next generation of Namibia’s bank notes (NS$10, NS$20, NS$50, NS$100, and NS$200) has officially been released for circulation. Designed and printed by De La Rue, the "Our Currency, Our Heritage, Our Pride—Meet the Next Generation of the Namibia Dollar" series features security elements integrated into the designs such as De La Rue’s IGNITE® and PUREIMAGE™ security threads. The new notes follow the release…

Ahitherto unknown and thus uncatalogued Treasury signature variety from the certified proofs of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) was found in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. What the new find reveals is a group of “Series of 1882” date back notes bearing Rosecrans-Hyatt Treasury signatures. These represent the earliest Treasury signatures to appear on “Series of 1882” dates backs. Their occurrence was discovered by Jacob Williamson, who worked as a verifier for PMG in 2024 and is currently compiling a census of nationals by Friedberg number. Jacob obtained the listing of BEP proofs, available on the Society of Paper Money Collectors website, from me in order to determine the various banks that issued the scarce Friedberg numbers. The new finds emerged as he sorted the…

The United States won the Philippines from Spain during the Spanish-American War of 1898 in the heady days of American colonialism. One of the few positive outcomes of this was the issuance of paper money by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for the islands. Especially laudable was the series of notes issued for El Banco Español Filipino, which debuted in 1908. A different color was used for the backs of each denomination. These backs featured geometric designs made on geometric lathes rather than handen-graved pictorial scenes. Such geometric lather work was particularly popular within the bank note industry during that period. Incorporated was an intricate mix of direct and white-line work; that is, images printed directly from engravings produced by geometric lathes and negatives of engravings also made on…

Part 1, which can be read in the August 2025 issue of Bank Note Reporter, focuses on obsoletes. Part 2 explores examples of colonial, federally issued, and Confederate notes, as well as some additional obsolete currency featuring images of horses. Before the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, horses played a vital role in everyday life. These animals plowed the fields, carried cargo, transported people from city to city, and were integral to the military. Surprisingly, horse-themed notes were not as common on federally issued currency and are mostly found on obsoletes. The artistry of these images is superb. Not only are they expertly rendered, but the illustrations are often thought-provoking with deeper meaning. What is also striking are the multiple ways horses have been depicted. Thanks to Heritage Auctions…

Robert Cassling is looking for information about the origin of a note he recently acquired. It is an unsigned, exceedingly rare 1861 Clark Gruber $5 remainder note (PMG Very Fine 30) from a GreatCollections auction on June 22, 2025. Prior to Cassling’s purchase of the note, it was sold at Heritage Auctions on January 10, 2008, with no other provenance. This attractive paper bill features vibrant ink coloring and clear, patterned borders with the serial number "1999" in dark blue ink. In the center vignette, a cowboy gallops on a horse while hunting a buffalo. A portrait of the first governor of the Colorado Territory, William Gilpin, sits on the bottom right, and an allegorical image is featured on the bottom left. According to the GreatCollections catalog description from the…

Bianca Bart of Executive Currency is living the dream of many numismatists. She co-owns the coin and collectibles retail company Executive Currency with someone she’s known her entire life—her father, Dr. Frederick J. Bart. Bianca is deeply involved in the numismatic community, actively participating in numerous organizations, including as a Life Member of the American Numismatic Association and as the third-youngest individual ever to earn full membership to the Professional Numismatists Guild. When she’s not co-running Executive Currency, Bianca serves as an industry expert and consults for grading firms. Despite her busy schedule, Bianca took the time to speak with Bank Note Reporter about her childhood on the bourse floor, her insights on current bank note trends, and advice for aspiring collectors. On her start in the numismatic industry* Bianca…