South Africa
South Africa new commemorative notes (B772 - B776) confirmed introduced 18.07.2018
19 08, 2018 11:59 Category: Africa | Commemorative
According to a 13 June 2018 press release, on 18 July 2018 the South African Reserve Bank plans to introduce new banknotes to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, known as Madiba. The commemorative notes have the same front as the existing issues, but with a young Madiba on back. They will circulate in parallel with the exiting issues.
Courtesy of Richard Miranda, Claudio Marana, Craig Eustace, Hermann Huber, Antje Bird, and Chris Huff.
Courtesy of Richard Miranda, Claudio Marana, Craig Eustace, Hermann Huber, Antje Bird, and Chris Huff.
South Africa new Mandela commemorative note family reported for 18.07.2018 introduction
12 02, 2018 08:50 Category: Africa | Commemorative
According to a 11 February 2018 press release, on 18 July 2018 the South African Reserve Bank plans to introduce new banknotes to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. The commemorative notes will circulate in parallel with the exiting issues.
South Africa chapter of The Banknote Book is now available
07 04, 2016 17:14 Category: The Banknote Book | Africa
The South Africa chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale and as a free download to subscribers.
This 29-page catalog covers notes issued by the South African Reserve Bank from 1921 to present. Published 8 April 2016.
Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:
- Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
- Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
- Specific identification of all vignette elements
- Security features described in full
- Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
- Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
- Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
- Date reproduced exactly as on note
- Precise date of introduction noted when known
- Replacement note information
- Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
- Background information for historical and cultural context
- Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
- Bibliographic sources listed for further research
Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the term of your subscription.
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South Africa new signature 200-rand note confirmed
12 01, 2016 19:39 Category: Africa
South Africa new signature 50-rand note confirmed
17 10, 2015 08:33 Category: Africa
P140: Like P140, but new signature (E. Lesetja Kganyago). Prefix GJ - GM.
Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.
South Africa new signature 10-rand note (P138) confirmed
10 10, 2015 08:34 Category: Africa
10 rand: Like P138, but new signature. Prefix FN.
Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.
South Africa new signature 20-rand note confirmed
02 07, 2015 09:14 Category: Africa
20 rand, no date. Like unlisted note issued 2013, but new signature (E. Lesetja Kganyago). Prefix GQ.
Courtesy of Ruan de Witt.
South Africa new signature 100-rand note reported
22 06, 2015 12:01 Category: Africa
According to a press release dated 19 June 2015, Lesetja Kganyago, the new governor of the South African Reserve Bank, returned to his home village of Moletjie Ga-Maribana in Limpopo to buy bread, cooking oil, maize meal, and sugar at Makgohloane General Trading shop with the first batch of banknotes bearing his signature.
All other banknotes currently in circulation remain legal tender and will co-circulate with the banknotes bearing Governor Kganyago’s signature.
Mr Kganyago assumed the governorship of the South African Reserve Bank on 9 November 2014, taking over from Gill Marcus.
Courtesy of Craig Eustace.
South Africa new 100-rand note with Omron rings confirmed
19 11, 2014 11:07 Category: Africa
100 rand, no date. Like P136, but with Omron rings added to front and back.
Courtesy of Alberto Fochi.
South Africa new 10-rand note with Omron rings confirmed
09 03, 2014 09:33 Category: Africa
10 rand, no date. Like note issued 06.11.2012, but with Omron rings added to front and back.
Courtesy of David Jones.
South Africa new 20-rand note with Omron rings confirmed
02 03, 2014 07:34 Category: Africa
20 rand, no date. Like note issued 06.11.2012, but with Omron rings added to front and back.
Courtesy of Claudio Marana.
Courtesy of Claudio Marana.
South Africa new 50-rand note with Omron rings confirmed
09 02, 2014 20:05 Category: Africa
50 rand, no date. Like note issued 06.11.2012, but with Omron rings added to front and back.
Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.
South Africa new 200-rand note with Omron rings confirmed
29 12, 2013 11:24 Category: Africa
200 rand, no date. Like note issued 06.11.2012, but with Omron rings added to front and back.
Courtesy of Shibu Paul - IBNS LM 208 (www.ebanknoteshop.com).
South Africa new banknotes with Omron rings reported
06 11, 2013 06:06 Category: Africa
According to a press release, on 6 November 2013 the South African Reserve Bank revised the banknote family launched exactly a year prior by adding Omron rings (or as the SARB calls them, "little dots") on the fronts and backs of all denominations (visible in the watermark areas on the images above). The existing Mandela notes will continue to circulate in parallel with the new ones. Omron rings appear to be randomly positioned design elements, but in fact can be detected by modern computer hardware and software to restrict the editing and printing of banknote images.
Courtesy of Ruan de Witt.
South Africa new note family confirmed
22 11, 2012 07:11 Category: Africa
According to a press release dated 30 October 2012, on 6 November the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) plans to issue a new series of banknotes in South Africa and in neighboring countries (Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland) that use the South African Rand as an alternative currency.
The new R10, R20, R50, R100, and R200 banknotes feature a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela on front, while the back of the notes have maintained the “Big Five” animal images that appear on current banknotes. The current and the new banknotes are the same size, have the same colors, and will co-circulate as legal tender.
Courtesy of Thomas Krause and Thomas Augustsson.
The new R10, R20, R50, R100, and R200 banknotes feature a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela on front, while the back of the notes have maintained the “Big Five” animal images that appear on current banknotes. The current and the new banknotes are the same size, have the same colors, and will co-circulate as legal tender.
Courtesy of Thomas Krause and Thomas Augustsson.
South Africa shreds 3.6 million defective 100-rand notes
20 05, 2012 13:07 Category: Africa
According to an article on News24.com dated 20 May 2012, the South Africa Reserve Bank shreaded more than 3.6 million 100-rand (US$12) notes printed by Crane Currency’s Swedish division (Tumba Bruk) because they have the same serial numbers as a batch printed by the South African Bank Note Company. In addition, the notes printed in Sweden aren’t the right color, and they are one millimeter short.
The article doesn't state if the defective notes are of the existing series (P131) or the new series featuring Nelson Mandela's portrait, which are scheduled for introduction in late 2012. In 2011, the South African Reserve Bank outsourced printing of the 100-rand note to Sweden following the discovery of missing security features on notes previously printed by the South African Bank Note Company.
The article doesn't state if the defective notes are of the existing series (P131) or the new series featuring Nelson Mandela's portrait, which are scheduled for introduction in late 2012. In 2011, the South African Reserve Bank outsourced printing of the 100-rand note to Sweden following the discovery of missing security features on notes previously printed by the South African Bank Note Company.
South Africa announces new banknote series for late 2012
11 02, 2012 08:43 Category: Africa
President Jacob Zuma holding example of 50-rand note bearing portrait of Nelson Mandela.
According to a press release dated 11 February 2012 (22 years after Nelson Mandela was freed), the South African Reserve Bank is in the process of producing a new series of banknotes which “will have the same denominations, sizes, and colors but the front of all notes will carry a specially designed engraving of former President Nelson Mandela. The reverse side of each denomination will have an image of one of the big five [lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino].” The new notes are expected to be issued “towards the end of 2012.”
Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.
South Africa Reserve Bank's printing presses sit idle since February 2011
10 07, 2011 11:25 Category: Africa
According to an article in Times Live dated 9 July 2011, the South African Reserve Bank has outsourced printing of the 100-rand note to Sweden following the discovery of missing security features on notes previously printed by the SA Bank Note Company. Other problems with other denominations have left the SABN presses sitting idle since February. The article also mentions SABN’s printing of notes for Zambia and Namibia.
Courtesy of Richard Miranda.
Courtesy of Richard Miranda.
South Africa faulty 100-rand notes reported
05 12, 2010 13:20 Category: Africa
According to an article in BusinessReport dated 5 December 2010, the South Africa Reserve Bank discovered in May that it had issued 100-rand (US$14.55) banknotes which are defective because they lack fluorescent printing visible under UV light. In June, printing of this denomination was shifted from the South African Bank Note Company to Crane Currency’s Swedish division (Tumba Bruk.), which reportedly produced 80 million 100-rand notes. The defective notes are said to bear the signature of former governor Tito Mboweni' (P131) as well as the current governor, Gill Marcus. These notes were originally issued in 2005 and 2009, respectively, so the problem apparently went undetected for quite some time.
South Africa withdrawing older 200-rand notes
23 04, 2010 12:52 Category: Africa
On 21 April 2010, the South African Reserve Bank informed citizens that they had until the end of May to exchange older 200-rand (US$26.94) notes (Pick 127) in an effort to combat counterfeits. These notes have been in circulation since 1994 and lack the enhanced security features of the newer notes introduced in 2005, first with the signature of T. T. Mboweni and now with that of the current governor, Gil Marcus.
South Africa new signature 100-rand note confirmed
07 02, 2010 07:46 Category: Africa
100 rand (US$12.85), no date. Like Pick 131, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus).
Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.
South Africa new signature 10-, 20-, 50-, 100- and 200-rand notes confirmed
18 11, 2010 07:31 Category: Africa
10 rand (US$1.40), no date. Like P128, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus).
20 rand (US$2.85), no date. Like P129, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus).
50 rand (US$7.15), no date. Like P130, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus). Intro: 2009.
100 rand (US$14.30), no date. Like P131, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus). Intro: 2009.
200 rand (US$28.60), no date. Like P132, but new signature (Ms. Gill Marcus). Intro: 2009.
Courtesy of Alberto Fochi, Michael Reissner, and banknoteshop@gmx.net.
South Africa declares 500-rand note fake
17 10, 2009 19:24 Category: Africa
According to an IOL.com article dated 17 October 2009, the South African Reserve Bank has refuted a rumor circulating via email claiming that the bank is about to issue a 500-rand (US$68) note.
Robertina Mbedzi, assistant communications practitioner at the Reserve Bank, said "The bank is currently not planning to issue a R500 note in the future and we are unaware of how this e-mail came about. South Africa has a family of five bank note denominations and the R200 note remains the highest denomination."
South Africa central bank governor to step down
20 07, 2009 13:57 Category: Africa
The governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Tito Mboweni, is scheduled to step down in November. Mboweni, the first black man in the formerly racially segregated South Africa to have his signature on a South African banknote, is to be replaced by Gill Marcus, chairwoman of the South African commercial bank Absa. Mboweni has held the post of governor since 1999. His departure clears the way for a new signature variety for South Africa.
