The most beautiful money in the world: an overview and interesting facts

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

In our world, people try to compete in absolutely everything. At the same time, sometimes many people could not even think about the things on which competitions take place. One such amazing competition is to determine the most beautiful money in the world.

Contest history

When we talk about the most influential and important banknotes on earth, we immediately think of the American dollar, but there are many other national banknotes that are distinguished not by their popularity, but by their beauty. Paper money has an important advantage over electronic money - they have the ability to embody the art, history and culture of the respective country on their printed field.

Competitions for the title of the most beautiful money in the world have been held since 2004. The responsible organization is the International Bank Note Community (ICB). It is it that evaluates the aesthetics and stability of each monetary unit of various countries of the world. In the competition for the title of the most beautiful money in the world every year, asusually new money issues.

In 2017, 170 different banknotes were selected, of which only 23 remained. A little later, 6 finalist banknotes were determined, from which the most beautiful banknote in the world was chosen.

From the moment when the competition for the title of the most beautiful money on the planet was introduced, the following banknotes won in this nomination:

• 2004 - Canada.
• 2005 - Faroe Islands.
• 2006 - Comoros.
• 2007 - Scotland.
• 2008 - Samoa.
• 2009 - Bermuda.
• 2010 - Uganda.
• 2011 - Kazakhstan.
• 2012 - Kazakhstan.
• 2013 - Kazakhstan.
• 2014 - Trinidad and Tobago.
• 2015 - New Zealand.
• 2016 - Switzerland.
• 2017 - Switzerland.

In order for this or that banknote to win the title of the most beautiful money in the world, according to the SME, it must be issued for the first time and participate in the country's money circulation for one year before taking part in the competition. Since 2004, countries from Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, Oceania and other regions of the planet have been participating in the competition.

Note that Kazakhstan and Switzerland are two countries that have won the title of the most beautiful money on the planet more than once.

In 2017, as you can see from the list, the 10 Swiss franc note was the winner. The finalists also included £10 Royal Bank of Scotland, £10 Canadian dollars, 7 Fijian dollars, 100 Norwegian kroner and 40 Republican francs. Djibouti.

The Russian banknote of 2000 rubles also took part in the competition, which on the one hand demonstrates the Russian Bridge in the city of Vladivostok, and on the other hand it depicts the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Region. This banknote is also among the amazing examples of the most unusual money in the world.

Canada is 2004 winner

In 2004, that is, in the very first year when the SME award for the title of the most beautiful money in the world was approved, this title was won by 20 Canadian dollars.

The Canadian dollar has been the official currency of Canada for most of its history. Canada at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century decided to introduce its own monetary system instead of the British pounds sterling. Since January 1, 1858, the Canadian dollar has been the official currency of this North American country. The Bank of Canada issues coins and paper tickets, with each ticket inscribed with its face value in the country's two official languages: English and French. Many Canadian bills are similar in size and denomination to US bills.

Since September 29, 2004, new 20 Canadian dollars were issued, which this year won the title of the most interesting and beautiful money in the world. On their front side there is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, and on the reverse side, the culture of the Haida Indian tribes that inhabit the northern regions of Canada is depicted. The bill has a size of 152x69 mm and is made in green color. Note that in connection with the fight against counterfeitingmoney in Canada since 2012, a banknote of 20 Canadian dollars has been issued, which has a new design.

Faroe Islands wins the most beautiful banknote of 2005

In the second year after the establishment of the award, 1000 Faroe Islands crowns were at the top of the ranking of the most interesting and beautiful money in the world. The monetary system of these islands is not independent and is subordinate to the National Bank of Denmark. After Denmark was occupied by Germany in 1940, communication between the continent and the Faroe Islands was interrupted. From that moment on, the islands began to develop their own monetary unit - the Faroese krone. In the same year, she was officially recognized by Great Britain, and her exchange rate was set in relation to the pound sterling. Denmark has been issuing Faroese money since 1949.

The 1000 crown banknote has been issued in the Faroe Islands since 1978. From 2001 to 2005, the National Bank of Denmark re-issued banknotes for these islands. On the most beautiful banknote in the world in 2005, the dominant colors are brown and red. It depicts sea birds and the coastline of the Faroe Islands.

Comoros wins 2006

The African country of Comoros and its 1000 franc banknote won the list of the most beautiful banknotes in the world in 2006. In 1886, after the Comoros, located in southeast Africa, began to belong to France, they also approved the monetary system of this European country, which existed until 1925. Since 1925Paris granted the right to the Bank of Madagascar, which owned the Comoros, to independently issue money. In 1960, Madagascar gained independence from France, and in the late 1970s, Comorian francs appeared. Until 1999, the Comorian franc was linked to the French monetary system, and in 1999, when the euro was created, the Comorian franc was revalued against this new currency. Since 1976, Comoros has been issuing a banknote with a face value of 1,000 francs, and in the early 2000s, tickets are being reissued.

On the banknote of 1000 Comorian francs, as the first in the list of the most beautiful and unusual money in the world in 2006, the blue color prevails, on one side a man in a boat is depicted, and on the other, a fish and the coast of the Comoros. The cash ticket has inscriptions in French and Arabic.

Scottish banknote is the most beautiful banknote of 2007

In 2007, according to SMEs, the title of the most beautiful money in the world for foreign banknotes was earned by 50 Scottish pounds sterling, which have a green color.

The Scottish pound was the currency of Scotland even before its reunification with the Kingdom of England in 1707. It was introduced by King David I, taking into account the peculiarities of English and French coins. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Scottish pound was replaced by the English pound sterling, however, continued to circulate in Scotland throughout the 18th century.

Despite the fact that the Scottish pound does not currently exist, the three banks of this mountainous country continue to issue banknotes for use in thiscountry. These notes are recognized throughout the United Kingdom and have the same value as the pound sterling.

Samoa Cash Ticket Winner 2008

In 2008, 20 Samoan talas won first place among the most unusual money in the world. Tala is a relatively young monetary unit of Samoa, it was put into circulation only in 1967, until that time the Samoan pound was used in the country. Banknotes with a nominal value of 20 talas begin to be issued for the first time by the Central Bank of Samoya in 1985. A new series of paper banknotes was issued in this Oceanian country in 2008.

The new 2008 20 tal ticket features a magnificent landscape with a waterfall on one side and a bird on the other. The banknote is dominated by yellow-red colors.

2009 Bill: Bermuda

Two Bermuda dollars won first place in the list of the most beautiful money in the world in 2009. The Bermuda dollar has been in official circulation in Bermuda since 1970. It is linked to the US dollar in terms of their value in a 1:1 exchange. The Bermuda dollar is recognized only on the territory of this island nation. Until 1970 and starting from the 17th century, another monetary unit operated in Bermuda - the Bermuda pound.

The first known paper banknote of the Bermuda dollar was issued in 1992: 50 Bermuda dollars printed in honor of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus. Currently in the countryNotes are issued in the value of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Bermuda dollars. The smallest of these notes, thanks to the colorful landscapes, as well as the cultural monuments and representatives of the fauna of Bermuda, depicted on it, won the competition for the most picturesque and most unusual money in the world in 2009.

Ugandan Money Wins 2010 Contest

The Ugandan 50,000 shilling banknote took first place in 2010 among the most beautiful banknotes in the world. The history of the Ugandan shilling begins in 1966 when it replaced the East African shilling. The monetary system of Uganda has been constantly experiencing strong inflation for several decades, and only recently the value of the Ugandan shilling has stabilized, and it is the main monetary unit of this African country. In addition to it, US dollars, British pounds sterling and euros also circulate in Uganda.

Beginning in 1966, the first series of paper notes in Uganda were issued, which had a value of 5, 10, 20 and 100 shillings. Over the next 3 decades, as a result of strong inflation, banknotes of 5000 shillings (1985), 10,000 (1998), 20,000 (1999) began to be issued, finally, a bill of 50,000 Ugandan shillings was first issued in 2003. At present, banknotes with a value of at least 1000 shillings are mainly circulating in this country.

On the front side of the banknote - the winner of 2010, on the left side, a monument is printed in Kampala (the capital of Uganda), rainy tropic althe forest is depicted in the center, water is drawn on the right, as well as the coats of arms of the tribes of Uganda. Mountain gorillas are depicted on the reverse side of the banknote. This banknote was designed by British printing firm De La Rue in collaboration with the Bank of Uganda.

Banknotes of Kazakhstan - winners of 2011-2013

In 2011, 10,000 tenge of Kazakhstan was recognized as the most beautiful and unusual banknote in the world. In 2012, this title was awarded to the banknote of Kazakhstan in 5,000 tenge, and in 2013 - in 1,000 tenge.

Kazakh tenge was introduced as the official currency of the country after the collapse of the USSR in 1993, thus replacing the Russian ruble. The very word "tenge" from Kazakh and many other Turkish languages means "weight, measure". After the collapse of the USSR, Kazakhstan became one of the first countries in the post-Soviet space, which began to introduce its own national monetary system. The first Kazakh banknotes were printed in the UK, and in 1995 Kazakhstan opened its own printing factory.

The first printed banknotes of Kazakhstan were banknotes of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, and 50 tenge, put into circulation in 1993. From 1999 to 2003, the country issued banknotes with denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10,000 tenge. The third series of new notes was issued in 2006.

The front side of all banknotes depicts the Baiterek monument in Astana, the Kazakh national flag and coat of arms, fragments of the state anthem in the Kazakh language, as well as a portrait of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. On thethe reverse side of the banknotes has its face value written in Russian, and some famous building or famous monument of the country is depicted.

A new series of banknotes was issued from 2011 to 2014, among which 10000, 5000 and 1000 tenge banknotes won the nomination of the most beautiful money in the world in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

2014 banknote: Trinidad and Tobago

The 50 Trinidadian dollar bill was voted the world's most beautiful banknote in 2014 by MSB.

The monetary history of the state of Trinidad and Tobago is connected with many different coins that circulated in this country at various historical periods in connection with the occupation of these islands by such European powers as Spain, France and Great Britain. Such confusion in the monetary system of the colony of Britain, which was the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, led to the instability of its monetary system, and many merchants began to pay each other in barter. As a result, throughout the 19th and first half of the 20th century, monetary reforms took place in this country until Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Great Britain in 1962.

The Trinidadian dollar was established in 1964 as the official base currency of the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Currently, $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 notes are circulating.

The winning banknote of the competition for the title of the most beautiful2014 World Money (50 Trinidadian dollars) was issued by the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago in honor of its 50th anniversary. The banknote was executed in golden colors and printed in the UK by De La Rue. In the upper left part of the front side of the bill there is the coat of arms of the country, and in its center there is a red hibiscus flower and the Red Cardinal bird. The back of the note features the same bird, a young girl dressed for a national masquerade, and the new building of the country's Central Bank. Picturesque colors and beautiful images allow you to use this most beautiful money in the world as a souvenir.

New Zealand and its most beautiful banknote of 2015

In 2015, the SME named the 5 New Zealand dollars the most beautiful banknote on the planet. The modern currency of New Zealand (New Zealand dollar) was established in this country in 1967, replacing the New Zealand pound.

The 2015 leader among banknotes - 5 New Zealand dollars, depicts on its front side a portrait of Sir Edmund Hillary - one of the first climbers who climbed to the top of Everest, and on the other side of the banknote there is a penguin with yellow eyes. The banknote itself is made in orange.

Swiss banknotes win 2016 and 2017

In 2016 and 2017, the winners in the ranking of the most beautiful money in the world, according to SMEs, were 50 and 10 Swiss francs, respectively. The Swiss National Bank has been issuing paper tickets - Swiss francs, since 1907. First banknoteshad a face value of 50, 100, 500 and 1000 francs. A few years later, denominations of 5, 10 and 20 francs appeared. All Swiss banknotes were issued in three languages: Italian, French and German. In general, during the 20th and 21st centuries, the National Bank of this European state issued about 10 series of new banknotes, which are printed in 4 official languages of Switzerland: in Romansh and German on the one hand, and in French and Italian on the other.

The winner of 2016 (50 francs) is in green, the front of the bill shows a hand holding a dandelion, the seeds of which are blown away by the wind, as well as a globe with different directions. The reverse side of the banknote is printed with a paraglider flying over the mountains.

The design of 10 Swiss francs, which became the winner among the most beautiful denominations of the world in 2017, is made in golden colors. On one side of the banknote, hands with a conductor's baton are depicted, and on the other side, a clock mechanism.