522) 50 Franc Banknote: issued by the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland in April 2016, winner of the prestigious 2016 “International Bank Note Society Award” (IBNS):

522) 50 Franc Banknote: issued by the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland in April 2016, winner of the prestigious 2016 “International Bank Note Society Award” (IBNS):

For the IBNS "Banknote of the Year Award winner since 2016, please visit my posts at the following links:

1) 50 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank in April 2016 wins the prestigious IBNS Award 2016

2) 10 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank wins the prestigious IBNS Award 2017

The International Bank Note Society (IBNS) has announced that the Swiss National Bank has won the prestigious “Bank Note of the Year Award” for 2016 for its 50 Francs Hybrid Banknote out of a field of almost 120 new Banknotes released worldwide during 2016 of which almost half were of sufficiently new designs to be eligible for the nomination.

The Swiss Banknote narrowly pipped the Maldives 1000 Rufiyaa Tortoise/ whale shark, the Argentina 1000 Peso Jaguar and the Royal Bank of Scotland’s 5 Pound first polymer Banknote, to the post.

From all significant newly designed and widely circulated Banknotes released during 2016, the IBNS members nominated Banknotes from a near-record 19 countries to place on the ballot. The nominees represented four continents – Europe, Australia, South America and Asia, two Middle East countries and four island nations.

About the International Bank Note Society:

The International Bank Note Society (IBNS) was founded in 1961 and is a non-profit educational organisation with objectives to promote, stimulate and advance the study, collection and dissemination of information related to Paper Money. It seeks to provide knowledge of worldwide Banknotes and paper Currencies along educational, scientific and historical lines.

Now in its 56^th year, the IBNS has over 2000 members worldwide.

Some past recent winners of the “Bank Note of the Year” Award have included – New Zealand (2015), Trinidad and Tobago (2014), Kazakhstan (2013, 2012, 2011), Uganda (2010), Bermuda (2009), Samoa (2008), Scotland (2007), Comoros (2006), Faeroe Islands (2005) and Canada (2004).

About the 50 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank:

The Switzerland 50 Francs Banknote is the first new design the Swiss National Bank is the first new design the Swiss National Bank has released in 20 years.

           The Front of the Award winning 50 Franc Swiss Banknote.

The Front of the 50 Franc Banknote shows a human hand holding a dandelion, whose seeds are being scattered by a gust of wind. Below the hand is the globe (Earth), which will rotate around its axis completing one full circle in 24 hours, showing various positions of the Earth during its rotation on various denominations of Banknotes in the Ninth Series of Banknotes.
This Banknote has been nicknamed the “Dandelion”. I

Printed by Orell Fussli Security Printing Ltd., this Banknote from the new Ninth Series which has as its theme – Wind and National experiences.

The design of this Banknote “focuses on the wealth of experiences Switzerland has to offer, a concept which is represented by the wind”.

This Banknote is the first in the new Ninth Series of Banknotes which come with “state-of-the-art anti-counterfeiting protection”. The security features include several design features which can be seen only under a microscope or by using UV ray light. For example – the Banknote’s security strip lists all of the Swiss mountains over 4,000 metres high from the Aletschhorn to the Zumsteinspitze.

Using three layer substrate Durasafe technology, the bright green vertical Banknote depicts Dandelion seeds (on the Front), a paraglider aloft in the mountains (on the Back).

        The Back of the 50 Franc Banknote presented vertically

 The Back of the 50 Franc Banknote presented  horizontally
 The Back of the 50 Franc Banknote depicts a paraglider aloft in the mountains.

The Dimensions of this Banknote are 70 x 137 mm.

Slightly smaller than US Banknotes, this is the first hybrid Banknote to win the coveted IBNS Banknote Award.

About the Ninth Series of Banknotes being introduced by the Swiss National Bank in a phased manner:

Incorporating the latest technological security standards, these Banknotes will depict time, light, wind, water, matter and language.

 The depictions of the hand which will be depicted on various denominations of Banknotes

Each element/theme will be illustrated with a hand “in action”. For example, in the 50 Franc Banknote, a hand holds a Dandelion, which is being scattered by the wind, the main theme of this Banknote.

             Various positions of the Globe during a 24 hour period

The shimmering Globe will feature on each Banknote reflecting how Switzerland sees itself as part of an inter-connected world. In the sequence of Banknotes from 1000 francs to 10 Francs, the earth rotates once in its axis and passes through one full day.

 The various locations depicted on different denominations of Banknotes

Each Banknote depicts a particular location/side of Switzerland. Together, the six Banknotes reflect the diversity of Switzerland, which is known for its organisational prowess, for its vibrant cultural scene, for the wealth of experiences it offers, as well as, for its humanitarian tradition and its track record as a research hub and place of dialogue.

 The objects which will be depicted on the Banknotes of various denominations

Each Banknote depicts an object related to the relevant key motif. The key motifs of the six Banknotes are time, light, wind, water, matter and language as mentioned earlier.

The new Series of Banknotes will bear the same colour scheme as the older Banknotes, but are smaller in size.

Interestingly, this new Banknote Series will have motifs which replace “people” by “designs” and feature “Nature” rather than portraits of famous men and women.

For example – the new 50 Franc Banknote from the Ninth Series has done away with the image of Swiss Dada artist Sophie Tauber-Arp who has appeared on the Banknote since 1995.

The next denomination in the new Swiss Banknotes Ninth Series is the 20 Franc Banknote, with the theme “light” as the Banknote’s key motif has been released on 17.05.2017.

Meanwhile, the presently circulating Swiss Banknotes from the Eighth Series will continue to be legal tender till further notice.

An earlier Series of Banknotes released in 1976 which has been recalled will continue to be legal tender until 2020. Even after that date, the Swiss National Bank will continue to swap the demonetised Banknotes for new versions for the next 20 years.

The Front & Back of the presently circulation 50 Swiss Francs Banknote, which will continue to be legal tender till further notice.

 (The above Banknote is from the collection of Jayant Biswas. Post researched and written and Banknote scanned by Rajeev Prasad)


Links: 
IBNS Award Winners:
 1) 50 Dollar Polymer Banknote issued by Trinidad and Tobago in 2014, winner of the 2014 IBNS Award

2) Currency of the Comoros Islands: Comorian Franc and Centimes: Also includes the 1000 Franc Banknote issued in 2006, winner of the IBNS 2006   
   
3) 50 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland in April 2016, winner of IBNS Award 2016 

Links to posts on the "Flora Alpina" Series:

1) Alpine Edelweiss: "Flora Alpina" Series: The first coin in the Series issued in January 2016

2) Alpine Gentian: "Flora Alpine" Series: The Second Coin in the Series issued in January 2017 

Other posts on Swiss Banknotes:

1) A 10 Franc Banknote honouring Charles Edourd Jaenneret popularly known as Le Corbusier who designed the Modern Indian city of Chandigarh