The introduction of a new series of banknotes in Pakistan next year, enhanced with advanced security features and modern designs, has the potential to play a transformative role in the country’s economic landscape.

Banknote expert and author Antti Heinonen has written a new book on the history of Finnish money, focusing on international and particularly German influences in the early development of Finnish means of payment.

As described in last month’s issue of Currency News™, at the recent Global Currency Forum (GCF) in Oman, industry players showcased house notes with new security features on themes ranging from butterflies, meadows and the ocean to Venus. To that can be added chameleons.

The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is introducing new polymer $2 and $5 banknotes on the theme of ‘Same Look, Smarter Design’.

The Central Bank of Lesotho is issuing new 10 and 20 maloti banknotes which have the same design as the current notes but which will be the first to feature Anima™ security threads from Oberthur Fiduciaire, via its partnership with (and subsequent acquisition of a majority stake in) Rolling Optics.

Oberthur Fiduciaire introduced a new family house notes at the Global Currency Forum, on the theme of ‘The Art of Butterflies’.

Another company launching a new house note during the Global Currency Forum is KURZ. The note, dubbed Meadow, has been designed to promote the company’s ‘KURZ THREADS with KINEGRAM COLORS®’ portfolio.

Currency News™ began to publish global annual updates on banknote demand in 2017. This update will start with an analysis of the development of banknote circulation in value terms during recent years.

According to the hit single I’m Your Venus (from the Dutch rock band Shocking Blue in 1969 and then again from the UK girl band Bananarama in 1986), ‘Venus is the name of the game’. It’s also the name of Louisenthal’s latest security feature – specifically RollingStar® Venus, an upgrade on the company’s portfolio of threads based on its micro-mirror technology.

The Guatemalan currency, the quetzal, was introduced in 1924. The Q1 commemorative banknote, released in September 2024, is only the second commemorative banknote in the history of Banco de Guatemala (Banguat), and commemorates the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the quetzal as the national monetary unit.