- The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has introduced upgraded banknotes and coins featuring enhanced security features and new designs.
- The banknotes continue to honor Nelson Mandela, while the coin series adopts a deep ecology theme, emphasizing the interconnectedness of living organisms and their environment.
- The upgraded currency incorporates various enhancements to assist the partially sighted community, including improved color differentiation, tactile marks, and unique shapes for each denomination.
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has introduced upgraded banknotes and coin into the South African market, starting today. These new denominations will be introduced incrementally, featuring enhanced security features and new designs.
The upgraded banknotes continue to honor South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, with his portrait on the front. The reverse side now features illustrations of the Big 5 animals as a family. The preamble to the South African Constitution is printed in microtext around Mandela’s portrait, and the country’s flag is displayed on both sides of the banknotes.
The coin series adopts a deep ecology theme, emphasizing the interconnectedness of living organisms and their environment. This theme is represented by various fauna and flora found in South Africa.
The SARB periodically upgrades banknotes and coins to combat counterfeiting and stay up-to-date with technological advancements. Generally, banknotes are refreshed every 6 to 8 years, while coins are updated every 20 to 30 years. The current Mandela banknote series was issued in 2012, with a commemorative series released in 2018. The current coin series dates back to 1989.
The SARB does not demonetize its currency, meaning all previously issued circulation banknotes and coins can be used alongside the upgraded versions, maintaining their face value.
The public is encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new banknotes and coins and use the look, feel, and tilt method to authenticate their currency. Detailed information on the changes can be found on the SARB website and the SARB Currency App, available on the Apple iStore and the Google Play Store.
The upgraded banknotes and coins feature various enhancements to assist the partially sighted community, including improved color differentiation between denominations, tactile marks, and unique shapes for each denomination. The upgraded coins also have new landing patterns to help visually impaired individuals differentiate between denominations by feel.
For more information about the upgraded banknotes and coin, please visit www.resbank.co.za.
