Namibia to unveil new notes on 21 March 2012

According to a press release dated 10 May 2010 [sic], the Bank of Namibia has announced that it will issue new banknotes sometime after 21 March 2012. The new family will have the same denomination structure as the current series: 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 dollars. All denominations will have improved anti-counterfeiting features, and the portrait of Kaptein Hendrik Witbooi will be retained for all but the 10- and 20-dollar notes, which will feature a new portrait of Sam Nujoma, the founding president and father of the Namibian nation. The existing notes will circulate in parallel with the new ones.

Informanté has published an article dated 15 February 2012 which states that the notes will be issued “right after Independence Day (21 March).”

According to a media release by Bank of Namibia issued on 24 February 2012, the new set of notes (N$ 10, 20, 50, 100, 200) will be presented to the public for the very first time on Independence Day (21 March 2012), but will not be issued until May, giving the bank time to launch an information campaign.

Judging from the large number of virtually uncirculated N$ 10, 50, 100 and 200 notes in circulation now, It appears there are still a large number of "old type" notes in stock, which the bank is trying to use up. However, the "old style" N$ 20 has virtually disappeared from circulation, and those that are in use are usually torn and dirty. Note that all notes currently in circulation still carry the signature of the previous governor, Tom Alweendo. Notes with the signature of the current governor were never issued.

Courtesy of Jay Mollindo and Heinrich Lindner.