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This is a banknote issued to
commemorate a special event, in this case the Year 2000.
Commemorative paper money is by
far not as common as stamps and coins are on the philatelic and numismatic
sector. Stamp and coin collectors are dealing with such issues almost every
day, whilst commemorative banknotes are usually still limited to
a few ones per year worldwide. During the last twenty years, however, they
became more and more known and common in a continuously growing number of
countries.
Banknote collectors' attitude
towards commemorative issues is ambivalent.
Some welcome them, as it enriches the hobby and some even specialize on
collecting them.
Other collectors do rather not appreciate them, certainly due to the fact as
their acquisition requires additional financial resources, and many deem
them just unnecessary, as the occasions they honor in their opinion being
not of importance, and they believe their only or at least major purpose is
to create additional income for the issuing authority (especially when they
are sold as so called "collectors items" in special folders, at a price higher than the face value and will
never physically circulate in the country; thus remaining unknown to the
local population).
Both types of collectors are
right and not right. Let's have a closer look to some commemorative issues
and discuss them accordingly. Every reader may form his own opinion, then.
USA
2 Dollars, 1976
This is the 2 Dollars note issued in 1976 in order to commemorate the
Bicentennial of the United States of America.
It is a real "longseller", and re-issues have been made in 1995 and 2003.
Although not too often seen in circulation in the USA, everybody knows this
note, but not all would recognize it as a commemorative issue, as from its
aspect it matches perfectly with the other US-Dollar bills series.
MEXICO
200 Pesos, 2000
A banknote similar to the regular issue, but with an addional imprint in
plate, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Banco de Mexico.
The practice to add a commemorartive text in the plate is rather common, as
it is of course cheaper than the development of a note with an entirely new
design from the scratch.
200 Pesos, 2008
Mexico, however, on the occasion of its Bicentennial of Independence,
recently issued another completely new designed banknote.
This is a real commemorative banknote, which may not be seen too often in
circulation.
COSTA RICA
10.000 Colones, 1997
A regular note, just with a rather simple stamp added, commemorating the
50th Anniversary of Banco Central de Costa Rica.
This is another not uncommon method to "upgrade" a banknote from regular to
commemorative.
BAHAMAS & DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
1 Dollar, 1992
500 Pesos Oro, 1992
1992 was a year of utmost significance for many Central American countries,
as the Quincentennial of Columbus' Landfall had to be celebrated. The
Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, for instance, issued new designed notes,
and several other countries (e.g. Colombia) got regular issues overprinted
with a commemorative text.
NORTHERN
IRELAND
5 Pounds Sterling (Ulster Bank Ltd.), 2006
Britain has always been famous for maintaining and honoring
traditions. The various private banks in Great Britain with the right of
emission became fairly busy with issuing commemorative paper money during
the last years. On this banknote Northen Ireland's Ulster Bank honors George
Best, a "FIFA 100" soccer player and "Player of the Year 1968" (Manchester
United).
And here we are at a point where many paper money collectors begin to utter
a certain displeasure, or at least a doubt: Is a soccer player, even a
famous one as George Best, really worthy enough to being honored on a
5-Pound banknote? Would a nice stamp for a 20 Pence or so not have been
sufficient?
20 Pounds Sterling (Bank of Ireland), 2008
Or is a booze distillery worth even several banknotes?
(Bank of Ireland Mangement obviously believes it is.)
We here on this homepage will not dare to take a decision
but we leave it to every individual to judge and to decide whether to
collect such notes or not.
SCOTLAND
5 Pounds Sterling
(The Royal Bank of Scotland plc), 2002
The private banks in Scotland are very busy in creating commemorative paper
money at almost any occasion.
In this case certainly not even the fiercest anti-monarchist will deny that
the Golden Jubilee of such a noble Head of State as it is Her Majesty the
Queen of England should not be duly honored on paper money wherever
feasible.
Robert Louis Stevenson is as well beyond any criticism.
1 Pound Sterling (The Royal Bank of
Scotland plc), 1994
But what about a golf player?
5 Pounds Sterling (The Royal Bank of
Scotland plc), 2005
Nothing against Old Tom Morris ... but picture if every country and issuing
authority began to honor their sportsmen, filmstars, politicians, inventors,
poets ... and other who knows what events of major and minor
importance on a banknote!
Collectors could really no longer afford their hobby when "forced" to
purchase all these stuff.
MALAYSIA & CHINA
International sports events are a topic on commemorative banknotes, too
Be it the "Commonwealth Games" in Malaysia ...
50 Ringgit, 1998
or the Olympic Games in Peking ...
10 Yuan, 2008
POLAND & PHILIPPINES
Religion plays a role as well. Poland has issued a
commemorative note to honor Pope John Paul II.
50 Złotych,
2006
and the Philippines remember his visit in 1981 with a
commemorative overprint
2 Piso, 1981
UGANDA & SLOVENIA
Political Conferences can be honored as well, as here the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting 2007 in Uganda ...
10.000 Shillings, 2007
or the joining of a country to the European Union, as here in Slovenia
10.000 Tolarjev, 2004
HONG KONG
150 Dolars
(Standard Chartered Bank), 2009
Rather funny is the creation of an uncommon value in order to commemorate an
anniversary.
Here Hong Kong' Standard Chartered Bank remembers its 150th anniversary.
THAILAND
16 Baht, 2007
This is a real bad example for a commemorative "banknote". This sheet of
paper in A4 size (!) and declared to be 16 Baht, is exclusively produced for
collectors (sold at a far higher price than the face value of course). It
will never be used for real payment anywhere in Thailand, and thus we may
doubt whether this can still be called "money"
Thailand in the recent years has issued several commemorative banknotes,
mostly on the occasion of some jubilees and anniversaries within the Royal
Family. Collectors increasingly uttered their disapprovement, but obviously
they continue to purchase them, and this is believed to be the only purpose
of these banknotes, anyway.
KUWAIT
1 Dinar, 1993 & 2001
Kuwait has issued two polymer plastic notes; one in 1993 (2nd Anniversary of
Liberation) and one in 2001 (10th Anniversary if Liberation), respectively.
They are both marked with "NOT A LEGAL TENDER", and thus Central Bank of
Kuwait at least leaves no doubt that these "bankotes" are nothing else than
printed paper without any value (which does of course not mean they were
distributed free of charge!)
Catalog lists them under CS ("Collectors Series"), and in our collection you
won't find them at all, as www.banknote.ws
is dealing with MONEY, and not with fancywork.
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