DataVault Unlocked: The Evolution of Banknotes in the Americas

Cash is changing faster than you think. At the recent HSP Latin Americas Conference in Guatemala (see page 15), Astrid Mitchell , Editor of Currency News™, shared the latest data on design trends occurring in the Americas.

Central banks rarely launch new banknotes on a whim. Usually, they are chasing a security upgrade or a new substrate, a redesign of a specific denomination, a total aesthetic overhaul of the banknote series, or the birth of a brand-new denomination (which is frequently included in a new series).

The numbers tell a compelling story of evolutionary design:

• 64 denominations with security upgrades and/or change to substrate
• 114 denominations included in new series designs
• 8 brand-new denominations
• 4 denominations redesigned (not part of a new series).