In pictures: the world's most beautiful currencies
Alice Cattley
05 February 2024
Beautiful banknotes
Money may be the root of all evil, according to the Bible – but it can also be a thing of beauty. Read on to feast your eyes on some of the world's most beautiful banknotes, ranging from the Bhutan ngultrum to the New Zealand dollar.
Comorian franc
The official currency of Comoros is the franc, which is pegged to the euro. The denominations of the nation's banknotes range from 1 to 10,000, all of which feature brightly coloured illustrations of island life, or the country's flora and fauna, on the reverse.
Brunei dollar
Brunei adopted the dollar in 1967. The country has previously issued banknotes in denominations up to B$10,000, but is currently in the process of removing them from circulation. Its remaining banknotes all feature Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on the obverse, with intricate images of the country's buildings, mosques, or rainforest on the reverse.
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Costa Rican colón
Costa Rica is famed for its wildlife, so it seems fitting that its banknotes celebrate the beauty of its biodiversity. These notes, from the 2018-2019 series, feature colourful images that range from hummingbirds to bull sharks.
Norwegian krone
The reverse of Norwegian banknotes feature an eye-catching pixelated design. Each one is supposed to be a cubic representation of the maritime-inspired images on the obverse of the notes – for example, the lighthouse that appears on the 50 krone note and the fish that appears on the 100 krone note.
Bhutan ngultrum
The ngultrum is the national currency of Bhutan, a portmanteau of 'ngul' (silver) and 'trum' (money). The beautiful, dragon-emblazoned two ngultrum note pictured above is actually worth less than 1 cent.
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Maldivian rufiyaa
Banknotes were first issued in the Maldives in the late 1940s. The most recent designs, released in 2016 to celebrate the golden jubilee of the Maldives' independence, showcase the artwork of local artist Abdulla Nashath, who was chosen following a competition. The central bank felt Nashath's design “represents the Maldives, and the identity of Maldivians” and “attempts to encapsulate all the innate factors that define our country, and our ancestral identity."
Albanian lek
The reverse of this 10,000 Albanian lek banknote, which was first printed in 2021, shows an extract from the Albanian national anthem. The italic text at the bottom is taken from the first lines of the anthem, "Rreth flamurit të përbashkuar, me një dëshirë e një qëllim", which broadly translates to: "Around our flag we stand united, with one wish and one goal."
South African rand
South Africa's most common banknote denominations each feature one of the nation's 'Big Five' animals, with the late South African president Nelson Mandela on the reverse. An updated design (pictured) was released in May last year, which the South African Reserve Bank says "[continues] to pay homage to South Africa's first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, with his portrait featured on the front of all five denominations while the Big 5 animals [lions, rhinos, elephants, buffalos, and leopards] are depicted as a family."
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Aruban florin
The Aruban florin, also known as the guilder, was introduced in 1986. These colourful banknotes date from 2003 and showcase artwork by the Aruban artist Evelino Fingal. Though the designs were replaced in 2019, the 2003 banknotes can still be redeemed at the Central Bank of Aruba until 2049.
Egyptian pounds
Like all Egyptian banknotes, the 50 pound features Arabic text on the front and English on the back. On the Arabic side you can see the Abu Huraida Mosque, while the flipside shows Edfu Temple.
Icelandic króna
The structure featured on the reverse of this Icelandic note is the Brynjólfskirkja church. The 1,000 króna denomination was first put into circulation more than 20 years ago, and was updated with the current design in November 2004.
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New Zealand dollar
The most recent New Zealand dollars feature either the explorer Edmund Hillary ($5); suffragist Kate Sheppard ($10); Queen Elizabeth II, who will be replaced by King Charles III once the current supply has run out ($20); Māori politician Āpirana Ngata ($50), or physicist Ernest Rutherford ($100). The reverse of the $100 note (pictured) shows a bird known as a yellowhead, or mohua, while the tree is a red beech.
Hong Kong dollar
Much like the UK, Hong Kong has more than one bank responsible for printing money. The beautiful note pictured above is from banking giant HSBC. The HK$1,000 is the highest denomination printed, and is currently worth around $128 (£102).
Belize dollar
This is the reverse of the two dollar note in Belize, which features a picture of the Mayan ruins found in the country. Other denominations showcase the nation's famous buildings, bridges, and its varied wildlife, which includes the jabiru Stork, jaguar, and howler monkey.
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CFP
The CFP, or franc pacifique, is the currency used in French Polynesia and other overseas French territories. These notes were first issued in 2014 and show a variety of flora and fauna including the frangipani and pennant corralfish.
Cambodian riel
This beautiful note is from Cambodia. First issued in 2012, the banknote depicts the funeral of King Sihanouk, who died that year – a swan-shaped float is shown carrying the king's body past mourners outside the Royal Palace Throne Hall. It's worth 1,000 riels, the equivalent of just 24 cents (19p).
South Korean won
This is the reverse side of the 1,000 South Korean won note, showcasing a painting by the famous philosopher and scholar Yi Hwang. It was first issued in 2007 and features an image of Yi Hwang himself on the obverse.
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Myanmar kyat
These are just some of the striking kyat banknotes in circulation in Myanmar. Other notes feature images of important national buildings such as the Ministry of Finance and Revenue and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw legislature buildings.