Just before we take a break for the Easter bank holidays, we wanted to give you a few more options for your banknote collection. We realise that we don't upload banknotes to our website as often as we upload coins, but when we do, we try to give a good selection of banknotes for your collection. The availability is limited for some of the items below, but we do believe you'll have plenty to choose from in this new upload.
The Winter Olympics being held in Beijing China are now over. To mark this important event, China has issued two commemorative 20 yuan notes, one printed on polymer, depicted here, and one printed on paper. The polymer 20 yuan has a pair of figure skaters on the front with a view of the structure known as the Ice Cube on the back. This building has been repurposed from its role in the 2008 Summer Olympics where it housed aquatic events and was known then as the Water Cube! (P-New) Uncirculated.
Greece always drew on its rich ancient history for its banknote design and this 50 drachma, dated 1939 is no exception. (P107a) The sculpted head of ancient Greek poet Hesiod is front left with a view of the White Tower at Thessaloniki is to the right. On the back we see a detail from a Panatheniac frieze from The Parthenon featuring Poseidon, Apollo and Artemis. Crisp Uncirculated.
Crisp note issued during the Second World War in Greece. Its design draws on Greece’s ancient history.The 5000 drachma dated 1943 (P122) features a portrait of Athena on the front with a detail of a sculpted equestrian relief on the back. Uncirculated.
The portrait of Jon Sigurdsson appears on the front of this 500 kronur note dated 2001 (P58) He was the leader of the 19th century Icelandic independence movement and so important was he, that his birthday was chosen as Iceland’s National Holiday. The back shows Sigurdsson seated at his desk with Icelandic textbooks, a gas lamp and pen alongside a view of the façade of the Learning School in Reykjavik. Uncirculated.