The South African Reserve Bank unveils its new banknotes and coins

The South African Reserve Bank has officially introduced upgraded banknotes and coins as of today to move in time with the advancing technology.

The banknotes and coins have enhanced security features and a new look and feel which celebrate South Africa’s heritage. With those who are partially sighted, the colours of the new bank notes are subtly enhanced to improve visual differentiation between denominations. Previous notes had only individual Big Five, with the new notes, the Big Five is represented with their families.

To further assist the partially sighted and the blind, each new note includes a unique shape. These are diamond on the R10 note; a rectangle on the R20; a circle on the R50; a hexagon on the R100; and oval on the R200. A complete image of the relevant big-five animal can be seen when the banknote is held up to the light and the security thread appears as a continuous solid dark line.

“We have added the South African flag, the preamble to our Constitution in micro-lettering and the Big Five depicted as a family. The deep ecology theme of the 4th decimal coin series celebrates our interconnectedness with other living organisms,” the central bank said.

NEW BANKNOTES LOOK AND FEEL

According to Business Tech report, The new coin R5 will include a southern right whale, the R2 will have a springbuck and with a more diamond shape look. The R1 have the South African official flower, the protea and a new pentagonal shape. The 50-cent coin replaced the strelitzia bird with an actual bird and a hexagonal shape. 20cent with an aloe plant and a heptagon shape, and 10cent with a honeybee and octagon shape.

NEWS COINS LOOK AND FEEL