Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Canada P97 20 Dollars



Pick: P97
Date: 1991

Colour: Deep olive-green and olive-green on multicolor underprint.





Birds of Canada Series.  Though dated 1991 the first date of official issue was June 29, 1993.




Notes with signature Bonin-Thiessen were issued with and without back plate numbers.



Front: Green foil optical device with denomination at upper left, Queen Elizabeth II, Parliament library at right, arms at upper left center.

Back: Common loon.

Printer: Canadian Banknote Company or BA International Inc.

Size: 137 × 74 mm

Varieties
a. (BC-58a) Signature Thiessen-Crow. Prefix without serifs.
a. (BC-58a) Signature Thiessen-Crow. Prefix with serifs.
*a. (BC-58a) Signature Thiessen-Crow. Prefix AIX, EIX replacement note.
b. (BC-58b) Signature Bonin-Thiessen. With back plate number.
*b. (BC-58b) Signature Bonin-Thiessen. Without back plate number.
*b. (BC-58b) Signature Bonin-Thiessen. Prefix AIX, replacement note.
c. Signature Knight-Thiessen.
d. Signature Knight-Dodge.

* Not listed in Krause catalog.

Catalog Value:
a. $50 - UNC, $20 - VF
b. $50 - UNC, $20 - VF
c. $50 - UNC, $20 - VF
d. $30 - UNC, $20 - VF

Singapore P9 1 Dollar

Pick: P8
Date:
ND (1976).
Colour: Blue-black on multicolor underprint.






Front:  Black-naped tern at left, city skyline along bottom, arms at upper right.

Back: National Day parade passing large building at center right.

Watermark: Lion's head.

Printer: BWC.

Size:

Varieties
None

Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P8A 10,000 Dollars

Pick: P8A
Date:
ND (1973).
Colour: Green on multicolor underprint.





Front:  Orchids (Aranda Majulah) at center, arms at at right. Signature Hon Sui Sen. Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: The Istana (Presidential residence) at left center.

Watermark: Lion's head.

Printer: TDLR.

Size:

Varieties
None

Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P17 10,000 Dollars

Pick: P17
Date:
ND (1980).
Colour: Green on multicolor underprint






Front:  White-bellied Sea Eagle at left, city skyline along bottom, arms at upper right

Back: 19th century Singapore River scene above, modern view below on
back.

Watermark: Lion's head.

Printer: TDLR.

Size:

Varieties 
a. Issued note.
s. Specimen, punched hole cancelled.

Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Sunday, February 26, 2012

South Korea P57 50000 Won

Pick: 57
Date: 2009 Issued
2009-06-23
Colour: Orange and Yellow.




The release of the 50,000 won note stirred some controversy among shop owners and those with visual impairments due to its similarity in color and numerical denomination with the 5,000 won note.


Front: Shin Saim-dang (1504-1551), painter, author, and mother of the great philosopher Yul-gok, also known as Yi I (1536-1584).  Tree branches, grape leaf, berries, and eggplant.  Holographic stripe with demetalized BANK OF KOREA 50000. Windowed Motion security thread. Solid security thread with demetalized 한국은행 50000.

This is the first time, a woman is featured on a South Korean banknote.

Back: (vertical): Bamboo tree and Japanese apricot tree as shown in paintings.  The reverse of the note features two outstanding paintings produced in mid of Jeseon Dymasty namely Wolmaedo and Poongjukdo. Wolmaedo is a painting of a Mumetree by Eo Mongryong and Poongjukdo is a painting of Bamboos by Lee Jeong.

Watermark: Shin Saim-dang and electrotype 5 within pentagon.

Printer: Korea Minting & Security Printing Corporation

Size: 154 x 68 mm

Varieties

None


Catalog Value:

$60 UNC

Singapore P8 1000 Dollars

Pick: P8
Date:
ND (1967-75).
Colour: Purple on multicolored underprint.



Front:   Lilac-brown colored flowers (Dendrobium Kimiyo Kondo) at center, arms at right.  Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: Victoria Theatre and Empress Palace

Watermark: Lion's head.

Printer: TDLR.

Size:

Varieties

a. Without red seal. Signature Lim Kim San (1967).

b. Red signature seal Type I at center. Signature Dr. Goh Keng Swee (1970).

c. Without red seal. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1973).

 d. Red signature seal Type II at center. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1975).

Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P7 500 Dollars

Pick: P7
Date:
ND (1972).
Colour: Dark green, lilac on multicolor underprint.





Front:   Pink flowers (Dendrobium Shangri-la) at center.  Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: Government offices at St. Andrew's road.

Watermark: Lion's head.

Printer: TDLR.

Size:

Varieties
None

Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P6 100 Dollars

Pick: P6
Date:
ND (1967-73)
Colour: Blue and violet on multicolor underprint.







Front: Red flowers (Cattleya Orchid) at center, arms at right. Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: Sailing vessels along Singapore waterfront.

Watermark: Lion's head.

Printer: BWC

Size:

Varieties

a. Without red seal. Signature Lim Kim San (1967).

b. Red signature seal Type I at center. Signature Dr. Goh Keng Swee (1970).

c. Without red seal. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1972).

d. Red signature seal Type II at center. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1973).

s.  Specimen.


Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P5 50 Dollars

Pick: P5
Date:
ND (1967-73)
Colour: Blue on multicolor underprint





Front: Violet flowers (Vanda Rothschildiana Orchid) at center, arms at lower right. Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: Singapore seafront and Clifford Pier.

Watermark: Lion's head.

Printer: TDLR.

Size:

Varieties

a. Without red seal. Signature Lim Kim San (1967).

b. Red signature seal Type I at center. Signature Dr. Goh Keng Swee (1970).

c. Without red seal. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1972).

 d. Red signature seal Type II at center. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1973).

s. As d. Specimen.


Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P4 25 Dollars

Pick: P4
Date:
ND (1972).
Colour: Dark brown on multicolor underprint.






Front:  Yellow flowers (Renanthopsis Aurora Orchid) at center, arms at upper rightSingapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: Supreme Court building.

Watermark: Lion's head.


Printer: TDLR.

Size:

Varieties
None

Catalog Value:
UNC -

Saturday, February 25, 2012

40% of South Korea's W50,000 Banknotes Used by Black Market Economy

Where Are the Missing W50,000 Banknotes?

Chosun Iibo - Feb 21, 2012

 Korea South Banknotes Pick New 50000 Won ND2009
50,000 Won = 45 USD




A large number of the new W50,000 banknotes that went into circulation in June of 2009 are unaccounted for. Some 56.36 million W50,000 bills have been issued since 2009, with a value of W28 trillion (US$1=W1,123), but as of the end of January, four out of 10 of the bills have gone missing.

When the bills were first printed, there were concerns that they could be used to amass slush funds or to stash away to dodge taxes. The missing bills suggest that these concerns were well-founded.

According to the Bank of Korea on Monday, the amount of W50,000 banknotes that have been printed totaled W28.2 trillion, up 32.5 percent or W7 trillion over the past year. That has increased since January last year when it surpassed W20 trillion. And W50,000 bills now account for 53.6 percent of the total number of bills in circulation, up 10 percentage points over the past year.

By contrast, the amount of W10,000 bills in circulation totaled W19.8 trillion as of the end of last month, down W2.5 trillion from last year. It amounted to W20.1 trillion until February last year but fell to W19.2 trillion the next month and ceded the top spot to W50,000 bills.

The explosive demand for W50,000 bills stems from their widespread use as cash gifts for special occasions like weddings and anniversaries, replacing the W100,000 bank checks which had been frequently used. Before the W50,000 bills were circulated, a total of W7 trillion worth of W100,000 bank checks were printed each month, but that plummeted after the W50,000 bills were printed to W3.4 trillion in December 2011.

But some attribute the surge in the number of W50,000 bills to increased demand from the black economy, involving bribes, gambling and illicit transfers of wealth. A key example is an W11 billion stash of cash discovered under a plot of farmland in North Jeolla Province last year that consisted mostly of W50,000 bills. The cash was the proceeds of an illegal online gambling operation.

Supporting such suspicions is the low collection rate of the W50,000 banknotes compared to other bills. The collection rate refers to the number of bills that are printed and later collected again by the BOK. In the case of W50,000 bills, it is less than 60 percent, meaning four out of every 10 of them are stashed away somewhere. For W10,000 and other bills, the collection rate is more than 90 percent.

Singapore P3 10 Dollars

Pick: P3
Date:
ND (1967-72).
Colour: Red on multicolor underprint.






Front: Lilac flowers (Dendrobium Marjorie Orchid) at center, arms at lower right.  Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: Four hands clasping wrists over map of Singapore at left center.

Watermark: Lion's head.

UV: left design, leaves, watermark area legend fluoresce yellow.

Printer: TDLR.

Size:

Varieties

a. Without red seal. Signature Lim Kim San (1967).

b. Red signature seal Type I at center. Signature Dr. Goh Keng Swee (1970).

c. Without red seal. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1972).

 d. Red signature seal Type II at center. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1973).

s. As d. Specimen.


Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P2 5 Dollars

Pick: P2
Date: ND (1967-73).

Colour: Green and light red underprint





Front: Light orange flowers (T. M. A. Orchid) at center, arms at upper right Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil in circle.

Back: Boats on the Singapore River.

Watermark: Lion's head

Printer: BWC

Size:

Varieties
a. Without red seal. Signature Lim Kim San (1967).

b. Red signature seal Type I at center. Signature Dr. Goh Keng Swee (1970).

c. Without red seal. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1971).

 d. Red signature seal Type II at center. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1972).


Catalog Value:
a. UNC -

Singapore P1 1 Dollar

Pick: P1
Date:
ND (1967-72).
Colour: Blue on multicolor underprint.




Front: Light red flowers (Janet Kaneali Orchid) at center, arms at right.  Singapore written in the 4 official languages English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil on top.

Back: Apartment buildings.

Watermark: Lion's head. 

UV: left design, leaves, watermark area legend fluoresce yellow.

Printer: BWC

Size:

Varieties

a. Without red seal. Signature Lim Kim San (1967).

b. Red signature seal Type I at center. Signature Dr. Goh Keng Swee (1970).

c. Without red seal. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1971).

 d. Red signature seal Type II at center. Signature Hon Sui Sen (1972).

Catalog Value:
a. UNC -