Starting this year, the National Bank of Kazakhstan will start rolling out an all-new family of banknotes. The new series of “Saka style” notes will include all denominations. This article will provide a preview of the series.
The national bank has released a tentative schedule for a phased introduction of the new “Saka” series banknotes. They will start by issuing the new 5,000 tenge note in March 2024. The remaining notes in the series will be put into circulation over the remainder of 2024 and 2025. The Keesing Platform will share specific details about each note as they are issued.
The Saka-style design
The unique “Saka style” design of the new series reflects the heritage, history, and culture of Kazakhstan. The imagery conveys the perspectives of distant ancestors and their connection with the country’s terrain and wildlife. In fact, each denomination is dedicated to a specific animal found in Kazakhstan.
Each new “Saka style” banknote will feature an animal from the nation’s wildlife.
(Source: Taraz_.News)
Fresh new color palettes also add to the new design. Finally, the obverse side of all notes in the Saka series will have vertical orientation.
Banknotes resized for efficiency and convenience
Another noticeable change with the Saka style series is the resizing of the banknotes. The decision to reduce the size of the notes was not made lightly. In fact, the National Bank have analyzed the sizes of banknotes used in global practice, which revealed the benefits of smaller banknotes, including:
- Greater convenience in counting, storing, and transporting the notes.
- Streamlined production of banknotes because more banknotes can be printed on a single sheet.
The first new note consumers will see, the 5,000 tenge, will measure 140×70 mm. The dimensions of the existing note are 144mm x 76mm.
The Saka-style series will be produced using modern banknote production technologies and advanced security features, as well as traditional, “tried and true” methods such as offset and deep intaglio printing.
After the Saka banknotes have been put into circulation, the banknotes of the previous design will gradually be phased out of circulation.
Sources/References:
National Bank of Kazakhstan
MRI Bankers’ Guide to Foreign Currency
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