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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.

Mauritius issues Rs2000 banknote printed on polymer Safeguard®

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 06/12/2018

The Bank of Mauritius has issued a new 2000-rupee banknote printed on De La Rue’s Safeguard® polymer substrate. The Rs2000 is the second denomination to be printed on Safeguard®, following the Rs500 which began circulating in 2013. It appears that the seven denomination Mauritius banknote series is gradually being converted to polymer instead of traditional cotton-paper substrate, with the…

Romania celebrates 100th anniversary of the Great Union

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 03/12/2018

The National Bank of Romania has issued a 100-leu commemorative banknote dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Great Union on 1 December 1918. The polymer banknote includes a transparent vertical window including the portraits of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria as well as an illustration of a flower. The note also includes optically…

Sri Lanka issues new circulation coins

Coin, NewsBy SMI 03/12/2018

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has begun issuing a new series of circulation coins with the aim of reducing the cost of minting. The new circulation coins dated “2017” continue to use the same denominations of RS.10, RS.5, RS.2 and RS.1. The new coins have been designed to increase durability in circulation, effectively reducing their minting…

Armenia starts to issue its third banknote series on Hybrid™

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 23/11/2018

The Central Bank of Armenia has issued three denominations from its latest third series of banknotes, the 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 dram, printed on Hybrid™ substrate. The third series of Armenian banknotes commemorates the 25th anniversary of the national currency. The series consists of six denominations, namely the 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000-dram.…

Bank of Canada circulates vertical $10 banknote

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 20/11/2018

The Bank of Canada has begun circulating its latest $10 banknote, with its vertical design featuring social justice icon Viola Desmond. Like all Bank of Canada banknotes, the latest $10 note is printed on CCL Secure’s Guardian® polymer substrate and contains similar key security features to the existing series. This includes a clear window including a holographic foil,…

Bank of Mexico opens second banknote printing plant

Banknotes, Currency, News, TechnologyBy SMI 08/11/2018

The inauguration of the Bank of Mexico’s second banknote printing facility has taken place following increased banknote demand in the country. Mexican banknotes have been printed by the state’s banknote printing works located in Legaria, Mexico City, since its opening in 1969. The demand for Mexican banknotes has consistently increased, however, with the Legaria printing facility producing 201 million banknotes in 1970…

Northern Ireland banks switch to polymer in 2019

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 07/11/2018

Northern Ireland banknote issuers Danske Bank and Bank of Ireland have announced that they will start circulating polymer banknotes from February 2019. Both banks announced yesterday that they will launch their polymer banknotes on the 27 February 2019. Both will issue a £10 design, and the Bank of Ireland will also issue a polymer £5 note followed by a…

UAE upgrades 100 dirham banknote with Galaxy™ thread

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 29/10/2018

The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has issued images of its upgraded 100 dirham banknote that will reportedly be issued this week, featuring Louisenthal’s Galaxy™ security thread. The 100 dirham banknote of the current UAE series was first issued in 1982 but has since had several security feature upgrades. In this latest version, the…

Norges Bank issues Norway’s latest 50 and 500 krone banknotes

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 18/10/2018

Norway’s Norges Bank has issued the next two denominations from its latest banknote series, the 50 and 500 krone banknotes, which include advanced security features in their design. Norges Bank began issuing their latest banknotes series in May last year with the release of the 100 and 200 krone denominations. With the theme of the banknote series being “The Sea”,…

Australia circulates $50 Next Generation Banknote

Banknotes, NewsBy SMI 18/10/2018

The Reserve Bank of Australia has issued the latest banknote denomination from its Next Generation Banknote series, the $50 note. The $50 banknote is the third denomination to be circulated from the Next Generation Banknote Series, following the $5 issued in September 2016 and the $10 a year later. The $50 is the most widely circulated banknote…