Latest News

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

10 min read

Future of Banknote Distribution in Australia

There is no longer any doubt that cash as a means of payment is declining – not just in relative but, increasingly, in absolute terms. The recent high demand for banknotes as a store of value only masks the reduction in their use for transactions.

Banknotes Studies, Reports

Alan Newman

1 Dec. 2021

4 min read

Eye-Catching, Distinctive and Secure

At the latest count a third of all banknotes contain a diffractive feature, in the form of a patch, stripe or thread, 327 to be precise. According to Frank van der Horst of the DNB in his presentation at the recently-concluded Holography Conference, the feature is the second best in public recognition terms after watermarks – which makes one wonder why the other two thirds of banknotes don’t use one!

Banknotes Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

3 min read

Central Bank of Nigeria Reports on Cash for 2020

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made progress in 2020 with introducing and updating new systems to help with its cash management, according to its recently published annual report on cash operations.

Central Banks Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

2 min read

A Strong 1st Half and Good Outlook for De La Rue

Sales for De La Rue for the first half of 2021/22 increased by 0.9% to £179.2 million, compared with the first half of 2020/21, according to its recently published interim results. Adjusted operating profit increased by 13.4% to £17.4 million.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

1 min read

Two More New Wins for CPS

Hard on the heels of the announcement of a multi-million pound contract to supply Single Note Inspection Systems to India, Cash Processing Solutions (CPS) has announced two further major new contracts.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 Dec. 2021

2 min read

New 50 Pesos Completes Mexico’s G Series

The Bank of Mexico has issued a new 50 pesos, the sixth and final note in its new G series. The front of the new note shows the foundation of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire which, according to legend, was established by the Mexica tribe in the place where they found an eagle devouring a snake.

Banknotes

John Winchcombe

1 Dec. 2021

4 min read

The Role of Cash in a Digital World

The digital world has been with us for over 20 years, and it has brought significant benefits, usually related to convenience, choice and cost. Despite that, there are many examples of physical products that are recovering lost ground and increasing sales.

Free Technology Free

Astrid Mitchell

23 Nov. 2021

3 min read

International Awards for 3 New Banknote Holograms

Banknote holograms were winners in three of the five categories in the Excellence in Holography Awards 2021 organised by the industry trade body, the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).

Banknotes Events

Astrid Mitchell

22 Nov. 2021

3 min read

Bank of Canada Survival Analysis of Banknote Circulation

The Bank of Canada (BOC) has a Currency Inventory Management Strategy (IMS) based on its high-speed sorters that capture the image of every banknote, including the serial number, along with the date the banknote was created, shipped from the central bank’s distribution sites and returned to them.

Banknotes Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

22 Nov. 2021

4 min read

EMEA Cash Cycle Seminar (ICCOS) 2022 Heads to Istanbul

The EMEA Cash Cycle Seminar (ICCOS) was again held in a virtual format at the start of November. Despite this, the event attracted nearly 200 registrations based in around 40 countries and representing 77 different organisations.

Events

Astrid Mitchell

18 Nov. 2021

2 min read

Pakistan Proves Waste and Manure Combination as Answer to Banknote Destruction

As noted in the recently published special report ‘Cash: A Roadmap to Sustainability’, there is an environmental cost to the removal and disposal of banknote waste during production and at their end of life.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

18 Nov. 2021

4 min read

K&B BNS Goes Digital with ValiCash™

Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions (K&B BNS) has launched an app that is described as bridging the gap between the physical and the digital. Known as ValiCash™, the app not only helps identify but actually authenticates high security documents as well by scanning the document and giving either a ‘Pass’ or a ‘Fail’ response almost instantaneously.

Technology

Astrid Mitchell

29 Oct. 2021

3 min read

A One-Time Boost for Cash Volumes in Australia

Australia is often touted as one of the countries moving the fastest to becoming a cashless society. Whilst longer-term projections and data on payment habits support that view, recent figures from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) indicate the opposite over the last year, albeit the (hopefully) one-off consequence of COVID.

Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

29 Oct. 2021

3 min read

Philippines the Latest Country to Trial Polymer

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has confirmed that it will trial a run of ‘a few hundred million pieces’ of the 1,000 piso on polymer during the first half of 2022.

Coins Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

28 Oct. 2021

2 min read

Strong Currency Focus at Annual Holography Conference

The Holography Conference Online, the annual event for the worldwide holographic community, takes place 17-18 November, and this year currency-related presentations are strong on the agenda.

Events

Astrid Mitchell

28 Oct. 2021

10 min read

Cash Processing Solutions – a Well-Kept Secret

Cash Processing Solutions (CPS), the clue to whose activities is in its name, describes itself as one of the industry’s ‘best kept secrets’. Currency News spoke to Barrie Foley, to find out more about the company’s portfolio, its plans for growth, and where it sees itself and the cash industry going in the next few years.

Interviews

Astrid Mitchell

28 Oct. 2021

2 min read

Beyond Traditions – Future in Security Printing

Jura held a number of workshops on 5-6 October in Budapest as part of the newly-launched Jura Academy. This was one of the first physical events where customers and suppliers travelled to come together for the first time in the last 18 months or so, and representatives were in attendance from Austria, Czech Republic, France, Lithuania, Germany, Netherlands, Slovenia, Oman, Yemen, UAE, Saudi Arabia, the UK and, of course, Hungary itself.

Events

Four Nations Group

28 Oct. 2021

13 min read

Four Nations Cognitive Research – An International Collaboration to Produce Actionable Banknote Design Guidelines

The Four Nations group was founded in 1978 and consists of five central bank members – the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Bank of Canada, Reserve Bank of Australia, Bank of England and Banco de México.

Central Banks Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

28 Oct. 2021

3 min read

In Other News…

The Bank of Ghana has announced that 1 and 2 cedi banknotes are to be phased out in favour of coins. A bimetallic 1 cedi coin has been in circulation since 2007 and a 10-sided bimetallic 2 cedi coin was introduced in 2019. According to the Bank, the phase-out is due to heavy usage of the notes and the high costs of replacement compared with coins.

News

Astrid Mitchell

28 Oct. 2021

5 min read

News in Brief

META Materials Inc, a developer of high-performance functional materials and nanocomposites, has announced the completion of the acquisition of Nanotech Security Corp, which produces secure nano-optic security features for banknotes and other secure documents, in a deal valued at c. C$91 million. Nanotech has now been delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange.

News