Latest News

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

2 min read

HSP Latin America Heads to the Caribbean

All arrangements are now in place for this year’s High Security Printing Latin America, which takes place in Nassau, the Bahamas from 5-7 June.

Events

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

5 min read

News in Brief

Royal United Mint, the parent company of the Royal Dutch Mint and the Belgian Mauquoy Token Company, has acquired Osborne Coinage Co, based in Cincinnati, Ohio and the oldest private mint in the US.

News

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

2 min read

New Name for Agfa Offset as Sale Completed

Private equity group Aurelius has announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Agfa Offset Solutions from the Agfa-Gevaert Group for €92 million.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

13 min read

40 Years in Central Banking Fostering Women’s Leadership

Just under a year ago, Concha Jiménez retired from the Banco de España after more than 40 years with the central bank. Concha spoke to Currency News™ about her career, key changes at the Bank, the challenges of being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated environment, and what she plans to do next.

Interviews

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

2 min read

Mixed Picture for Mints’ Annual Results

Both the Monnaie de Paris and the Mint of Finland have published their results for 2022. The French mint had a good year, the Finnish Mint did not.

Coins

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

3 min read

Designing the Cash Cycle of the Future

The 2023 Future of Cash Conference takes place 6-8 November in Istanbul, and will bring together all stakeholders of the cash community – central banks, financial institutions, retailers, cash management companies, technology providers and supplier - to discuss new strategies to design the cash cycle of the future.

Events

Jonathan Ward

26 April 2023

5 min read

The Paradox of Counterfeit Deterrence and Detection

When we look at a piece of art, what exactly are we seeing? This of course depends on who we are, expert or amateur; but it also depends on our mood, our state of mind, and how much time we have.

Counterfeiting

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

3 min read

US Coin Production Returns to More Normal Levels. Solution to Penny Remains Elusive

The United States Mint continued to manufacture circulating coins at high levels in 2022, albeit fewer than in the two previous years, which had been characterised by coins not circulating through the economy as rapidly as before the pandemic. The drop in volumes produced and revenues for the year marked a return to a more normal pattern of demand.

Coins

Astrid Mitchell

26 April 2023

3 min read

BEP Ramps up for New Catalyst Series

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s outgoing Director, Len Olijar called 2022 an exciting year on many fronts in his introduction to the agency’s Annual Report, citing progress in a number of areas, including the goal of upgrading its facilities.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

25 April 2023

2 min read

Koenig & Bauer Exceeds Forecast

Koenig & Bauer has reported that, based on its preliminary and as yet unaudited figures, group EBIT for 2022 has exceeded its own forecast, as well as market expectations. This was in spite of a challenging environment characterised by supply chain constraints and an associated increase in material and energy costs, and a loss in one of its main divisions – the Digital and Webfed segment.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

25 April 2023

3 min read

De La Rue Impacted by Low Banknote Demand

De La Rue has recently provided a trading update, which indicates both a small (mid-single digit percentage) drop in profitability below market expectations (of £30-33 million) for 2022/23 but an uncertain outlook for 2023/24, with a potentially sharp reduction in profits. The share price fell 20% on the news.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

23 April 2023

3 min read

Record Results Even in a Challenging Year for G+D

Giesecke+Devrient has described 2022 as having a challenging business environment but one in which it has achieved strong results. The challenges have included rising energy, raw material and logistic costs, worldwide inflation, supply chain challenges, particularly for chips, and the impact of the war in Ukraine.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

23 April 2023

4 min read

The Drop in Demand for New Banknotes – New Predictive Models Needed

Whilst we have reported in the last two issues on broadly positive financial results for the cash management sector, the same cannot be said of the banknote production side of the industry, as De La Rue’s recent trading update shows.

Banknotes Cash Handling Free Free

Astrid Mitchell

23 April 2023

5 min read

Central Banks and Cash Round-Up

In the start of a new series in Currency News, we will be providing a summary of each month of central bank annual reports, and in particular developments regarding cash – be it circulation, management or counterfeiting.

Central Banks Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

23 April 2023

4 min read

Note and Coin News

Bankgo Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has won the International Bank Note Society (IBNS) Banknote of the Year award for 2022 for the 1,000 piso note, breaking the Banco of Mexico’s winning streak after it scooped the award for both 2020 and 2021.

News

Astrid Mitchell

18 April 2023

4 min read

Pulsar™ Threads – a Dynamic Response to the Threat of Counterfeiting

In the February issue of Currency News, we covered the acquisition by Oberthur Fiduciare (OF) of two thirds of the shares of the Swedish micro-optics firm RollingOptics, signalling its intention to focus on the growing area of micro-optics for security features. But even before this acquisition, OF had launched Pulsar™.

Technology

Astrid Mitchell

18 April 2023

4 min read

Crane NXT Goes for Growth as a Newly Independent Company

Crane NXT has announced the completion of its separation from Crane Co., the US-based industrial products and processes conglomerate, and its launch as an independent, publicly traded company.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

2 April 2023

3 min read

Hungary Regulates Minimum Currency Infrastructure Requirements

Hungary is the latest country to intervene in the cash cycle to ensure ongoing access to cash for its citizens in light of declining usage, with a new regulation from Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) governing minimum requirements for the number of ATMs operated by commercial banks.

Central Banks

Astrid Mitchell

2 April 2023

2 min read

Nigeria’s About Turn on Currency Changeover

The Central Bank of Nigeria has halted its naira redesign programme, 10 days after the Supreme Court ruled that it hadn’t given sufficient notice to the public to exchange the old notes for new.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

2 April 2023

3 min read

Komori’s Environmental Journey and Commitment

Komori Corporation is 100 years old this year and has recently published its annual integrated report for 2022 covering value creation, business strategies, sustainability and its corporate data.

Companies