Azerbaijan new 250- and 500-manat notes due "in near future"

According to an article in Azernews dated 19 August 2014, First Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) Alim Guliyev told journalists that the government is planning to put new 250- and 500-manat banknotes into circulation in the near future, "to improve the effectiveness of banknote circulation and to reduce state expenditures." Currently the largest denomination is the 100-manat note (B319) issued in 2005. Bear in mind that Azerbaijan has been discussing the issuance of larger denominations for several years. Time will tell if these plans ever come to fruition.