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SMI is the acknowledged world leader in the provision of independent technical & commercial expertise to the currency industry. Founded in 1994, SMI consultants each have many years’ experience working in the currency industry, and consequently have extensive knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the banknote and coin markets, offering consultancy services on a range of issues related to the security, manufacture, issue, circulation and management of physical cash in the economy.

Argentina issues Native Animals 20-peso banknote

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 05/10/2017

The Central Bank of Argentina has issued the next denomination from its new “Native Animals of Argentina” series of banknotes, the 20-peso. The new note, which entered circulation on the 4 October, features the native guanaco – a llama type animal – as part of the currency series’ efforts to raise awareness of the preservation of the environment. The…

Royal Bank of Scotland issues Safeguard® £10 banknote

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 04/10/2017

The Royal Bank of Scotland has begun circulating its latest polymer banknote, the ten pound note, printed by De La Rue on Safeguard® substrate. It is the first time in thirty years that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has issued a new £10 banknote design. The new note, which features mathematician and astronomer Mary Somerville, is…

Bahamas issues CRISP Evolution one dollar note

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 28/09/2017

The Central Bank of the Bahamas has issued the latest denomination from their new CRISP Evolution series, the one dollar banknote. The Bank issued a press release yesterday announcing the release of the banknote denomination, the second of the CRISP Evolution series to be issued following the $10 banknote in September 2016. The banknote is printed on Louisenthal’s Hybrid™ combination…

Bank of China Hong Kong celebrates centenary

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 27/09/2017

Bank of China (Hong Kong) is celebrating its 100th anniversary of its presence in Hong Kong with a limited edition HK$100 commemorative banknote. The note uses a predominantly red colour scheme and its design includes similar features to the currently circulating HK$100 banknote version. However, the front of the note includes an illustration of the Great Wall of China on the front left…

Clydesdale Bank issues polymer £10 banknote

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 21/09/2017

Clydesdale Bank in Scotland has issued the second of their polymer banknotes, the upgraded ten pound note from the World Heritage Series. The new ten pound polymer banknotes will begin circulating today, almost a year to the day after the first Clydesdale Bank £5 polymer banknote was circulated. Like its paper predecessor, the new polymer £10 note has…

Australia circulates Next Generation $10 banknote

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 20/09/2017

The Reserve Bank of Australia has begun to circulate the new $10 banknote, the second of the Bank’s Next Generation banknote family. The design of the new $10 banknote continues to feature illustrations of Australian writer and journalist Dame Mary Gilmore, and Australian bush poet, journalist and author AB ‘Banjo’ Paterson. The new note also retains the same size…

Madagascar issues remaining banknotes from 2017 series

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 18/09/2017

The Central Bank of Madagascar has today issued the remaining lower denominations from its latest banknote family, consisting of the 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 Ariary denominations. The new banknotes join the 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 Ariary denominations issued on 17 July. The theme of the new banknote family is “The riches of Madagascar”. All…

New Ten Pound Banknote enters circulation

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 14/09/2017

The Bank of England has today started to circulate the new ten pound banknote, a polymer note featuring the novelist Jane Austin. Image courtesy of the Bank of England. It is the second of the new series of polymer banknotes to be issued by the Bank of England, following the release of the £5 banknote on…

Georgia circulates upgraded 5 lari banknote

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 01/09/2017

The 5 lari banknote has now been circulated, following an announcement by the National Bank of Georgia last June. The upgraded lari banknote will circulate alongside the previous version of the 5-lari note first circulated in 2002. The new 5 lari banknote continues to use themes from its previous design, including a portrait of Georgian historian Ivane Javakhishvili…

São Tomé and Príncipe celebrate 25th anniversary with new banknote series

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 29/08/2017

The Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe has celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching a new series of banknotes and coins. The new currency is part of the Bank’s Monetary Reform 2018, resulting in the removal of three zeros from the denomination structure of the current series first circulated in 1997. There will be six banknote denominations…