...Mexico - 20 Pesos Commemorative Polymer Banknotes Dated 05 October 2021

 Estados Unidos Mexicanos

(United Mexican States)

Banco de Mexico (est.1925)
(Bank of Mexico)
Currency : Peso (MXN)

 

Here are the reprints of five banknotes all dated 05.10.2021. These are commemorative notes released to celebrate the Bicentennial of Independence of Mexico from Spanish rule. Independence was achieved  on 27.09.1810. The war for independence started on 16.09.1810.

 

Twenty Pesos

Galia Borja Gonez & Alejandro Alegre Rabiela

 

Front - The note depicts the scene of the arrival of the army of Three Guarantees at Mexico City on 27.09.1821. The Three Guarantees was formed on 24.02.1821 for the purpose of getting independence from Spanish rule. The leader for the independence movement was Agustin de Itubide (b.1783-1824), who then briefly became the Emperor of Mexico from 1822 to 1823. It didn't end up good for him either. He became unpopular and was forced into exile. He then returned to Mexico, arrested and put on trial. He was found guilty by the local legislature and executed on 19.07.1824 by a firing squad. He died at the age of 40 years old.

 

In between the arrival scenes are printed with two flags. The one on the left is the flag of the Three Guarantees (1821-1824), and on the right is the current flag of Mexico. The two year dates of 1821 and 2021 are also printed vertically on the right. These note are all dated 5 OCT 2021 (05.10.2021).

 

Dimensions - 121mm x 65.5mm

 

Twenty Pesos

Alejandro Diaz de Leon Carillo & Alejandro Alegre Rabiela

 

Twenty Pesos

Irene Espinosa Cantellano & Alejandro Alegre Rabiela

 

Twenty Pesos

Jonathan Heath Constable & Alejandro Alegre Rabiela

 

Twenty Pesos

Gerardo Esquivel Hernandez & Alejandro Alegre Rabiela

 

Back - On the back it depicts a Mexican crocodile floating on a mangrove swamp. A crane flying above. The reverse of the note is printed in a vertical format.

 

Crocodile and crane

 

...Papua New Guines - 50 Kina ND2023 Polymer Commemorative 50th Year of Self-Governing/Independence

   Independent State of Papua New Guinea

Bank of Papua New Guinea (est.1973)

Currency - Kina (PGK)

 

Here is a 50 kina nd2023 polymer commemorative note issued for the celebration of the 50th year of self-governing and independence 1973 - 2023. 

 

Papua New Guinea (PNG) was first occupied by Germany (only the northern part) in 1884, and by the British in the southern part of the island. The country was then given to Australia to administer following the end of the First World War in 1918 when Germany was defeated. On 01.12.1973, the country was granted self-rule by the Australian and Sir Michael Somare (b.1936-2021) became the first Chief Minister. Independence was then achieved on 16.09.1975 and Michael Somare became the first Prime Minister. Michael Somare was also the longest serving Prime Minister of PNG for 17 years over three separate terms, from 1975 to 1980; 1982 to 1985, and from 2002 to 2011. He retired from politics in 2017, and in PNG, he is known as the Father of the Nation. For all banknotes issued since 1975, Michael Somare is the only person to have his portrait appear on the banknotes. His portrait first appeared on the banknote (50 kina only) in 1989.

Fifty Kina

National Parliament building

 

Front - An image of the country's National Parliament in the center. To the top left is the National Crest

 

Governor - Elizabeth Genia* (tenure 2023-)

Secretary, Department of Treasury - Andrew F Oaeke (tenure 2021-)

Dimensions - 146mm x 70.5mm

Back - Portrait of Sir Michael Somare. To his right are Headdress and marks from the regions of:-

1) Bainings (Esat New Britain);

2) The Orokolo (Gulf Province);

3) The Huli (Southern Highlands Province);

4) The Tubuan (East New Britain Province);

5) A West Sepik and a Malagan Mask (New Ireland Province)

6) Karkar spears and Tapa (Oro Province); and

7) Mekeo (Central Province) and Siassi (Morobe Province)

 

Note* - First female bank governor appointed since the Bank of Papua New Guinea was established in 1973.

Sir Michael Somare (b.1936-2021)

...Myanmar - 500 and 1000 Kyats ND2020 Commemorative

ပြည်ထောင်စု သမ္မတ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်‌

(Republic of the Union of Myanmar)

Central Bank of Myanmar est.1948
Currency : Kyat (MMK)

Here are the two notes both issued in 2020. The 1000 kyats note was issued on 04.01.2020 to coincide with the 72nd Year of Independence anniversary (04.01.1948) from the British. The 500 kyats note was released on 19.07.2020, which is also celebrated as Martyr's Day in Myanmar. This is the day in 1947 when several leaders of Myanmar's (Burma) independence movement were gunned down including their leader Aung San. For this purpose, I have also posted these two notes on my Commemorative site as commemorative issues as well.

Like many of Burma/Myanmar previous issues, this note also features the nation's independent hero, Major General Aung San (1915-1947). Aung San was first a communist, then a revolutionary and then a nationalist. He is considered a national hero for gaining independence of Burma from the British. However, he didn't live to see his achievement as he was assassinated allegedly by Galon U Saw (b.1990-1948) on 19.07.1947. U Saw was the Prime Minister of British Burma from 1940 to 1942. 

Five Hundred Kyats

Major General Aung San (1915-1947)

 

Front - Major General Aung San (1915-1947). His birth name was Htein Lin and was born in Natmauk in central British Burma. He was assassinated in 1947 when he was 32 years old during a cabinet meeting held in Yangon (Rangoon). The assassination was blamed on Galon U Saw who was once the Prime Minister of British Burma from 1940 to 1942. U Saw was then hanged in 1948. However, there were few conspiracy theories regarding Aung San's murder and rumour has it that British officers were involved in the murder. Unfortunately, until now no one knows who ordered the killing. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

Watermark - portrait facing left and electrotype value in Burmese

Dimensions - 152mm x 71mm

 

Back - Central Bank of Myanmar building. The bank was established in 1948 and was previously known as Union Bank of Burma. Its headquarter is based in Nay Pyi Taw (Naypyidaw) and has branches in two other major cities - Yangon and Mandalay

Central Bank of Myanmar building

One Thousand Kyats

Major General Aung San (1915-1947)

 

Front - Major General Aung San (1915-1947).

 

Watermark - portrait facing right and electrotype value in Burmese

Dimensions - 151.5mm x 71.5mm

 

Back - Pyithu Hluttaw building (Parliament) in Naypyitaw (capital city of Myanmar since 2006). The parliament is made up of two houses - House of Nationalities (224 members - Upper House) and House of People's Representatives (440 members - Lower House).

Pyithu Hluttaw complex in Naypyidaw

...Solomon Islands - 10 Dollars Specimen Commemorative Polymer Note 2023 XVll Pacific Games

 Solomon Islands

Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) (est.1983)

Currency - Dollar (SBD)

 

I posted the circulating note on 01.03.2024. Here, I have posted the specimen note for the same polymer commemorative series. I have no information as to how many have been printed. As this series is printed by DLR, I would guess the quantity would be between 300 to 500 pieces. It is unlikely they would have printed anything more than that. The specimen note that I have posted here is also printed with a tiny control number on the bottom left corner. However, it is not sure if there are other varieties for this specimen series.

Ten Dollars (Specimen)

Sanfords sea eagle head, billowing flag, Coat of Arms

Front - A Sanford's sea eagle head (Solomon eagle) is printed on the left, which is traditionally the watermark for paper banknotes issued in the Solomon Islands. The Sanford's sea eagle is a native bird of Solomon Islands. The tournament logo illustrates the year 2023, a billowing Solomon Islands flag in the middle. To the right is the Coat of Arms.

Signatures

Governor - Dr Luke Forau

Secretary, Minister of Finance - McKinie P Dentana

Watermark - Electrotype CBSI

Dimensions - 137mm x 68mm

Back - Various sporting events, depicting from left to right: man running with a rugby ball in his right hand, two men playing in a basketball game, woman lifting weight, footballer, athlete and bodybuilder posing.

 

Six sports - soccer, weight lifting, marathon, bodybuilding, rugby and basketball

...East Caribbean - $2 2023 Commemorative 40th Year of Eastern Caribbean Central Bank 1983-2023

 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
(Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe and Martinique)

Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (est. 1983)
Currency : Dollar (CXD)

 

This is a new $2 commemorative polymer note issued for the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. The announcement of the new $2 note was made on 01.12.2023 by the Minister for Finance of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Chairman of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Monetary Council Camillo Gonsalves, and the Governor of ECCB Timothy N.J. Antoine. The commemorative notes were made available to the public via commercial banks on 06.12.2023.

 

The ECCB was established on 01.10.1983, succeeding the previous central bank, East Caribbean Currency Authority (1965-1983), and prior to that the British Caribbean Currency Board (1950-1965). The ECCB is the central bank for 8 island nations in the Eastern Caribbean. The countries that use the Eastern Caribbean Dollar are St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Saint Lucia. Whilst there are eleven members in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, the remaining three members (British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe and Martinique) use other currencies.

 

The design for this commemorative note is completely new. Unlike those banknotes previously issued, there are no portraits of a British monarch (past or present) as part of the designs. Instead of a monarch, this note bears the image of a living legendary former West Indies cricketer Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards. 

Reports have indicated that only two million pieces have been issued, however, I have now sighted at least 4 prefixes - AA, AB, AC and AD and I have all four prefixes of the notes posted here.

Two Dollars

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (b.1952-)

Prefix AB

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (b.1952-)

 

Prefix AC

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (b.1952-)

Prefix AD

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (b.1952-)

Front - The legendary former West Indies cricketer and Antigua and Barbuda Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (b.1952-) a.k.a. 'The Master Blaster', wielding a cricket bat. He represented the West Indies cricket team from 1974 to 1991 and is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He first represented the West Indies cricket team in 1974 in a test match against India in Bangalore and in 1975, he helped the team by winning the inaugural Cricket World Cup final in London, by beating Australia. He captained the West Indies team from 1984 to 1991, and was the only captain that had never lost a Test series. He retired from the sport in 1993. In the middle left is the Eastern Caribbean Bank headquarters building located at Basseterre on the island of St Kitts. To the right is the commemorative logo. On the bottom it also features an aqua-blue tinted holographic foil. 

 

Governor - Timothy N.J. Antoine (tenure 2015-)

Imprinter - De La Rue

Quantity - 2.0 million pieces

Dimensions - 65.5mm x 133mm

 

Back - Aquatic design which depicts the region rich in marine lives. The design features a coral reef with fish (Queen Angelfish and Abudefduf Saxatliis or Sergeant-Major fish), a star fish and a Caribbean Sea turtle swimming around. Also printed on the notes are the islands of the Caribbean states of (top to bottom) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, the nations that are currently using the Eastern Caribbean dollar currency. 

 

Coral reef