Israel

Israel new 20-new shekel note (B442) confirmed

Israel_BOI_20_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B442a_P65_0210367281_f
Israel_BOI_20_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B442a_P65_0210367281_r

Courtesy of Yigal Arkin.

Israel new 100-new shekel note (B444) confirmed

Israel_BOI_100_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B444a_P67_0100008950_fIsrael_BOI_100_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B444a_P67_0100008950_r

Courtesy of Paul Nahmias.

Israel new 20- and 100-new shekel notes unveiled

According to a press release dated 31 January 2017, the Bank of Israel has unveiled the designs of the last two denominations in its new series of notes. These are expected to be introduced by the end of 2017.

Israel_BOI_20_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B442a_PNL_0370002038_f
Israel_BOI_20_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B442a_PNL_0370002038_r
B442 (P65): 20 new shekels (US$5.25)
Red. Front: Menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; palm trees; poet, Rachel Bluwstein; microprinted poem “Kinneret.” Back: Sea of Galilee shoreline; segment of poem “Perhaps it was nothing…;” menorah. Kinegram Volume holographic stripe. Windowed color-changing security thread with demetalized 20 and portrait of Rachel Bluwstein. Watermark: Rachel Bluwstein and electrotype 20. Printer: Unknown. 129 x 71 mm.
a. 2017. Signature 15. Intro: Expected "end of 2017."

Israel_BOI_100_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B444a_PNL_0230008534_f
Israel_BOI_100_new_shekels_2017.00.00_B444a_PNL_0230008534_r
B444 (PNL): 100 new shekels (US$26)
Orange. Front: Menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; almond tree blossoms; Leah Goldberg; microprinted poem “In the land of my love the almond tree blossoms.” Back: Gazelles; poem segment, “White days;” menorah. Windowed color-changing security thread with demetalized 100 and portrait of Leah Goldberg. Watermark: Leah Goldberg and electrotype 100. Printer: Unknown. 143 x 71 mm.
a. 2017. Signature 15. Intro: Expected "end of 2017."

Courtesy of Cleo Phas and Li Dong.

Israel new sig/date (2014) 20-new sheqel note (B436d) confirmed

Israel_BOI_20_new_sheqalim_2014.00.00_B436d_P59_5330542466_fIsrael_BOI_20_new_sheqalim_2014.00.00_B436d_P59_5330542466_r
B436d: Like B436c, but new date (2014) and new signature 15.

Courtesy of Eli Schachar.

Israel new 200-new shekel note (B445) confirmed

Israel_BOI_200_new_shekels_2015.00.00_B445a_PNL_0160157625_fIsrael_BOI_200_new_shekels_2015.00.00_B445a_PNL_0160157625_r
B445 (PNL): 200 new shekels (US$58)
Blue. Front: Menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; fall leaves; Natan Alterman; microprinted poem “Eternal Meeting.” Back: Moonlit tree branches; menorah. Windowed color-changing security thread with demetalized 200 and portrait of Natan Alterman. Watermark: Natan Alterman and electrotype 200. Printer: Unknown. 150 x 71 mm.
a. 2015. Signature 15. Intro: 23.12.2015.

Courtesy of Thomas Augustsson.

Israel new sig/date (2014) 200-new sheqel note confirmed

Israel_BOI_200_new_sheqalim_2014.00.00_B439e_P62_f
B439e
200 new sheqalim, 2014. Like B439d, but new date and new signature (Karnit Flug).

Courtesy of Raphael Dvir.

Israel new sig/date (2014) 100-new sheqel note confirmed

Israel_BOI_100_new_sheqalim_2014.00.00_B438d_P61c_f
B438d
100 new sheqalim, 2014. Like B438c, but new date and new signature (Karnit Flug).

Courtesy of Raphael Dvir.

Israel new 50-new shekel note confirmed

The Bank of Israel introduced the new 50-new shekel banknote on 16 September 2014.

Israel_BOI_50_new_shekels_2014.00.00_B43a_PNL_0060126997_f
Israel_BOI_50_new_shekels_2014.00.00_B43a_PNL_0060126997_r
BOI B43 (PNL): 50 new shekels (US$15)
Green. Front: Menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; citrus trees and fruit; poet, Shaul Tchernichovsky; microprinted poem “Oh, My Land, My Homeland.” Back: Capital of Corinthian column; menorah. Windowed color-changing security thread with demetalized 50 and portrait of Shaul Tchernichovsky. Watermark: Shaul Tchernichovsky and electrotype 50. Printer: Unknown. 136 x 71 mm.
a. 2014. Signature 15. Intro: 16.09.2014.

Courtesy of Cleo Phas and Raphael Dvir.

Israel new sig/date (2008) 20-sheqel note confirmed

20 new sheqalim, 2008. Like BOI B36, but new signature and new date.

Courtesy of Yigal.

South Korea banknote printer seeking more overseas contracts

12-02(124)
According to an article in Korea Times dated 24 June 2014, Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corp. (KOMSCO) has seen its production volume halved over the past five years, and hopes to utilize excess capacity by obtaining contracts to print banknotes for other countries. Countries for which KOMSCO has produced or is producing "currencies" (may include coins, not just banknotes) include China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Libya, Peru, Switzerland, Thailand, and Vietnam. Last year KOMSCO won an order from Peru to produce 305 million 50-nuevo sole notes, with delivery to be completed by the end of June 2014.

Israel to issue new 50-new shekel in September 2014

According to a Globes article dated 27 April 2014, the Bank of Israel will issue a new 50-new shekel banknote on Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) in September 2014. It is the first of the new series of banknotes that will be issued, with the second banknote, for NIS 200, entering circulation in 2015. The Bank of Israel says that the new banknotes will enter circulation when quality control tests and businesses' preparations for handling the notes are completed.

Courtesy of Cleo Phas.

Israel names Karnit Flug as new bank governor

According to a press release dated 20 October 2013, the Bank of Israel is expected to appoint Dr. Karnit Flug to take over as governor from Stanley Fischer who left in June, marking the first time a woman has held the post.

Israel new 50- and 200-new shekel notes delayed until 2014

According to a press release dated 28 April 2013, the Israeli cabinet approved the details and designs of the new 50- and 200-new shekel notes to be issued "toward the end of 2013."

However, according to a press release dated 7 August 2013, the circulation of the new NIS 50 and NIS 200 notes "will be delayed by several months, and is expected to begin during the second half of 2014. The circulation of the two other banknotes – the NIS 20 and NIS 100 – will begin a few months afterwards."

Israel_50_new_shekels_fIsrael_50_new_shekels_r
50 new shekels (US$15)
Green. Front: Citrus trees and fruit; Shaul Tchernichovsky; microprinted poem “Oh, My Land, My Homeland.” Back: Capital of Corinthian column. Unknown security thread. Watermark: Unknown. Printer: Unknown. 136 x 71 mm.
a. 2013. Signature unknown. Intro: Second half of 2014.

Israel_200_new_shekels_fIsrael_200_new_shekels_r
200 new shekels (US$60)
Blue. Front: Fall leaves; Natan Alterman; microprinted poem “Eternal Meeting.” Back: Moonlit flora. Unknown security thread. Watermark: Unknown. Printer: Unknown. 150 x 71 mm.
a. 2013. Signature unknown. Intro: Second half of 2014.

Courtesy of Vadim Tislenko and Cleo Phas.

Israel new 50- and 200-new shekel notes due in late 2013

According to a press release dated 14 November 2012, the Bank of Israel claims "the new series of banknotes is in the final stages of design. The first two banknotes, in denominations of NIS 50 and NIS 200, are expected to be issued in the second half of 2013, and the other two denominations, NIS 20 and NIS 100, are expected to be issued in the beginning of 2014. The name of the currency will remain New Shekel. As previously noted, banknotes in the new series will incorporate advanced security features, and will be of varying sizes in order to assist the visually impaired to distinguish between the various denominations."

Courtesy of David Surette.

Israel chapter of The Banknote Book is now available


The Israel chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale and as a free download to subscribers.

This 25-page catalog covers notes issued by Anglo-Palestine Bank Limited from 1948, the State of Israel from 1948, Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. (Israel National Bank Ltd.) from 1952, and the Bank of Israel from 1955 to present. Revised 8 July 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
  • Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
  • 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.

Subscribe
Sign up for Email Notifications
If you would like to receive email notifications whenever a new chapter of The Banknote Book is published, please join the email list.

Sign up

Israel new sig/date (2010) 200-new sheqalim confirmed


200 new sheqalim (US$59.15), 2010. Like P62, but new date and new signature. Intro: June 2011.

In accordance with Section 42(a) of the Bank of Israel Law, new banknotes printed henceforth shall bear the facsimile signature only of the Governor (hitherto banknotes carried the facsimile signatures of the Governor and of the Chairman of the Advisory Council, which no longer exists under the new Law).

Courtesy of Andrew Quirke.

Palestine and Israel currency issues

There’s an interesting article on Hudson New York dated 25 May 2011 discussing the implications of Palestine attempting to declare independence from Israel and issue its own currency.

Israel new notes to feature poets, not politicians

According to a press release dated 10 March 2011, the Bank of Israel has announced that poets and scholars—specifically, Natan Alterman, Leah Goldberg, Shaul Tchernichovsky, and Rachel the Poetess—will be featured on new Israeli banknotes which will be issued over three years, starting in 2012. The bank’s choices must be approved by the government.

Israel new note honorees unveiled

According to a press release dated 19 December 2010, “The Governor of the Bank of Israel, Professor Stanley Fischer, has informed the Committee for the Planning of Banknotes, Coins and Commemorative Coins, headed by Judge Yaacov Turkel, that he has chosen four personalities [Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, Shai (Shmuel Yosef) Agnon, and Rachel the Poetess]––to be submitted for government approval––to appear on the planned new series of banknotes.
After a long process of consultation and discussions between the Committee and the Governor, the Governor decided to incorporate two aspects of Israel's history, the political and the cultural, by depicting two politicians who signed peace agreements with Israel's neighbors, and two outstanding people in the fields of literature and poetry.
The Governor said that it was of historical importance, in particular for future generations, to denote the leaders of the nation, and the characters chosen convey an important lesson in Israel's heritage. The Governor thanked the members of the Committee, chaired by Judge Turkel, for the time they devoted to this matter and for their recommendations.
The Bank plans to launch the new series of banknotes in 2012 in denominations of 20, 50, 100 and 200 shekel. The new banknotes will incorporate state-of-the-art security and identification features among the anti-counterfeiting measures.”

Courtesy of Bryce W. Denham.

Palestine contemplating its own currency

According to a Washington Post article dated 31 May 2010, Palestine is preparing to issue its own currency to replace the Israeli shekel and the Jordanian dinar.

Courtesy of Webb Linzmayer.

Israel announces new notes to be issued 2010-2012

According to an article on Haaretz.com, over the next two years the Bank of Israel will issue new banknotes featuring portraits of Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl and three former prime ministers: David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Yitzhak Rabin. The bank has decided against issuing a proposed NIS 500 (US$132) denomination.

The bank’s experiment with a NIS 20 (US$5.25) note printed on polymer is considered a success, so it’s possible the new notes will also be printed on polymer, though a decision on the substrate has not been announced. "With the new set of bills, the bank will be at the forefront of the technological stage on all matters related to the war against counterfeiting," the Bank of Israel said. "The security measures will be friendly to the public so that it will be possible, with relative ease, to spot counterfeit money."

Bank of Israel publishes new book on notes and coins

The Bank of Israel has published a new book, “Banknotes and Coins of Israel 1927-2006.” The fruit of intensive research, the book is published by the Currency Department of the Bank of Israel.
 
The book details the entire series of banknotes and coins issued during the period covered. Each note and coin is presented pictorially, and accompanying text describes both the design of motif and the choice behind it. The publication is unique in its technical detail of the notes and coins––size, cover, security measures against counterfeiting, designers and periods of circulation––as well additional background material including the original photographs which provided the source of the designs of the banknotes and coins. Next to the photos of each coin is an example of the original coin––usually an ancient Hebrew coin––upon which the modern coin was based.
 
The book has a foreword by the Governor of the Bank, Professor Stanley Fischer, and was written by Yigal Arkin, a collector and researcher of means of payments, with scientific editing by Dr. Rachel Barkay, numismatic curator of the Bank of Israel.
 
This colorful, hardback, richly illustrated book has colored margins for ease of reference. The Bank of Israel hopes that such an extensive compendium will provide both a source of information and enjoyment to the public, and will help to increase general knowledge of the banknotes and coins of both the modern-day Israel and of the young state-in-the-making.
 
The book is available in both Hebrew and English and is priced at NIS 98 (approximately US$23).
 
Though the book will shortly be for sale at stores, currently it can only be purchased directly from the Bank of Israel. To buy the book, payment can be either by credit card from the Publications Unit of the Bank of Israel: Tel: 02-6552767; Fax: 02-6552984; email: matikahn@boi.gov.il; or by sending a check (payable to the Bank of Israel) to: The Bank of Israel Publications Unit P.B. 780 Jerusalem 91007.

Israel new date (2006) 200-new sheqalim note confirmed


200 new seqalim (US$47.75), 2006. Like Pick 62, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Israel to issue new polymer 20-new sheqalim note in 2008


According to the Bank of Israel’s annual report released on October 7, 2007, “To improve the life of the NIS 20 [US$4.95] banknote, the Currency Department released an improved banknote in 2006 printed on higher quality paper with additional coating. As part of this improved quality, the Currency Department will be issuing the next issue of NIS 20 notes based on polypropylene, a polymer which is becoming more popular in many countries due to its durability.” On September 23, 2007, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the bank is planning a trial run of 20 million NIS in polymer notes beginning in February 2008.

The bank’s annual report also stated, “In 2006 the Currency Department began planning a new banknote issue series, which includes many aspects, including changing the banknote design, improved security features and quality of banknote paper. The new series is planned to be issued in the next 4-5 years.”

Israel issues new date (2007) 100-new sheqalim note


100 new sheqalim (US$24.40), 2007. Like SCWPM 61, but new date and new signatures (Stanley Fisher, Governor; Aharon Fogel, Chairman).

Courtesy of Raphael Dabbah.