What are the criteria for choosing the “most beautiful banknote in the world”?
The main requirement of the IBNS is that the banknote must have been issued to the public for the first time in the year of nomination, in this case in 2025.
The banknotes have to be circulating, so commemorative ones do not participate; In addition, special emphasis is given to artistic merit, which is why colors, contrast and balance in the design are valued.
IBNS members will vote for the ticket of the year through the website and each member can give three votes for their nominees.
Preference 1 takes three points, while the second favorite takes two; third place in preference gets one point. The ticket with the highest number of points will be declared Ticket of the Year.
These are the nominees for the most beautiful banknote in the world
The 20 yuan bill shows predominantly red, pink, green and black colors. This banknote has Chinese text, the emblem of the People’s Republic of China and a snake. In addition, three children stand out hanging a Spring Festival banner.
The 200 Caribbean guilder note features the long-nosed seahorse and giant seashell on the obverse, as well as the iconic Queen Emma Bridge on the reverse. The color of this bill is predominantly purple and has security threads.
The 100 dirham banknote of the United Arab Emirates is a piece predominantly in red, tan, gray and green colors. Additionally, it features the image of cannonballs and cannons outside the Um Al Quwain National Fort with flags and trees on the obverse. It also features the image of Sheikh Zayed.
The reverse shows the Etihad rail train on elevated track, as well as tankers in the port of Fujairah.
The Falkland Islands £5 note is a polymer note and features a portrait of King Charles III, five black-browed albatrosses in flight, an outline map of the islands and the Falkland Islands coat of arms; It is red.
The reverse features five species of penguins, the national flower known as the “pale maiden”, as well as the mountain on Steeple Jason Island.
20 Libyan dinar bill. It is a polymer piece predominantly beige, brown and red. In front is a crescent moon and star, the school in Ghadames, which is an icon of the country, as well as the image of a star and crescent moon as a golden spark.
On the reverse is the Al-Ateeq mosque in Oujlah.
The 100 pataca bill issued by China’s central bank is another finalist. It is a piece of blue paper; In front it has a magenta security thread in which lotus flowers can be seen.
On the front of the note there are facades of small buildings, a dragon, as well as the Bank of China headquarters building in Macau. On the back you can see the Exhibition Hall of the Tung Sin Tong Historical Archive.
1,000 Bangladeshi taka banknote. It is a piece of paper in violet, purple, beige and green colors. It has the National Martyrs’ Monument in Savar in front, as well as shapla flowers. The National Parliament building in Dhaka was depicted on the reverse.
As a watermark it has a royal Bengal tiger on a pixelated background.
2,000 Kazakh tenge banknote. It is a piece of paper in green blue and purple. The watermark has a Samruk bird and a security thread with text. The front of the piece is vertical with an antelope’s head in profile; It also has a tree of life. On the reverse there are hills and lakes, as well as a stylized golden ornament of a saiga antelope and four antelopes.
The Iranian 2 million rial bill is a piece of paper in green and orange colors. The piece has text in Farsi and the image of Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Esfahan. On the back you can see two men on horseback holding mallets playing chogān.
The 50 kina banknote from Papua Guinea is a piece of orange polymer. On the front it has the image of the coat of arms of Papua New Guinea with a bird of paradise perched on the Kundu drum and the ceremonial spear.
On the back you can see Prime Minister Michael Somare and below his image there are Sepik spears. Also seen are the shield and mask of New Ireland, the pointed and bladed tubuan face mask of New Britain, as well as Highland headdresses.
The 100 Belize dollar bill is a piece of blue paper. In front you can see former Prime Minister George Cadle Price and a queen triggerfish.
On the back of the piece is a hawksbill sea turtle and the image of the Great Blue Hole, which is located off the coast of Belize. It also has two French angelfish (from Caribbean reefs) as well as a slotted brain coral.
