863) Armenia: 25th Anniversary of introduction of the Armenian Dram (1993) commemorated by the Central Bank of Armenia with a new (Third) Series of Banknotes: First instalment of 3 Banknotes in the denominations of 50,000, 20,000 and 10,0000 Dram released on 22.11.2018:

863) Armenia: 25th Anniversary of introduction of the Armenian Dram (1993) commemorated by the Central Bank of Armenia with a new (Third) Series of Banknotes: First instalment of 3 Banknotes in the denominations of 50,000, 20,000 and 10,0000 Dram released on 22.11.2018:

Links to other interesting posts from Armenia:

1) Noah's Ark: A 500 Dram Collector's Banknote from the Central Bank of Armenia in circulation from 22.11.2017

2)"Armenia-India Joint Issue" - with the theme National Dances: "Hov Arek" Dance (Armenia) and Manipuri Dance (India): 2 Postage Stamps with the denominational value of 280 AMD each issued by "Haypost" (Armenian Post) on 29.08.2018

3) Armenia: 25th Anniversary of introduction of the Armenian Dram (1993) commemorated by the Central Bank of Armenia with a new (Third) Series of Banknotes: First instalment of 3 Banknotes in the denominations of 50,000, 20,000 and 10,000 Dram released on 22.11.2018

At the time of disintegration of the Soviet Union, Armenia conducted a national referendum, in which the citizens voted to become an independent Republic. 

The Central Bank of Armenia was established on 27.03.1993 and became the sole issuer of the National currency.

Upon the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there was a move to maintain a common currency - the "Russian Ruble" - among the CIS States and Armenia too joined the "Ruble zone".

The Ruble-zone went through a lot of upheaval during this period of political and economic uncertainty and with the unilateral monetary reform in Russia in 1993, the Ruble-zone effectively collapsed.

The states which were participating members - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia -  were left with no alternative, but to issue their own separate currencies.

On 22.11.1993, Armenia introduced its own currency - the "Armenian Dram".

The First Series of Armenian Dram Banknotes (1993-1995):

On 22.11.1993, Banknotes of the denominations of 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Dram were circulated.

A little later, Banknotes of the denominations of 1,000 and 5,000 Dram were circulated under this Series.

The Second Series of Armenian Dram Banknotes (1998-2017):

The Second Series of Armenian Dram Banknotes was in circulation for about 25 years.

50, 100 and 500 Dram Banknotes are rarely seen in circulation,  and coins of these denominations are used instead.

The Second Series of Banknotes included the following denominations - 50 and 100 Dram (introduced in 1998, withdrawn on 01.04.2004), 100 and 500 Dram Banknotes (introduced on 01.09.2000), 1,000 and 5,000 and 20,000 Dram Banknotes (first issued in 1999 with later versions being introduced subsequently), 10,000 Dram (first issued in 1999, with later versions being printed subsequently).

On 24.08.2009, a 50,000 and 100,000 Dram denomination Banknotes were introduced.

During this period, two commemorative Banknotes were also issued:

On 04.06.2001, a commemorative 50,000 Dram Banknote was issued to celebrate the 1,700 th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Armenia.

On 22.11.2017, a 500 Dram commemorative Banknote was issued to recount the story of Noah's Arc.

I have this Banknote on the Noah's Arc legend in my collection. A detailed post on this Banknote can be visited at the following link: Noah's Ark: A 500 Dram Collector's Banknote from the Central Bank of Armenia in circulation from 22.11.2017

The Third Series of Armenian Dram Banknotes (introduced in 2018):

This Banknote Series has been introduced to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Armenia's National Currency.

A composite image of all the denominations of Banknotes, which will eventually be in circulation by 25.12.2018

Specimens of all denominations of Banknotes in this Series placed Front side up on a display table

All the denominations in this Series are the same as in the previous issues, with the 2,000 Dram Banknote  being a newly introduced denomination, while the 50,000 Dram Banknote is the highest denomination, with the100,000 Dram Banknote denomination having been withdrawn.

On 22.11.2018,  the first three denominations - 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 Dram have been circulated:

The Central Bank of Armenia has released the three highest face value/denomination Banknotes of the six denominations which are going to be included in the Third Series of Armenian Dram Banknotes which coincide with the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the Armenian Dram in 1993.

These Banknotes have been designed to depict famous Armenian personalities - clerics, musicians and writers and contain a very high degree of technical sophistication, highly complex security features/elements, making this new Armenian Series of Banknotes, one of the most modern and technologically advanced in the world.

All the Banknotes in this Series are printed on a composite material, cotton paper protected by a thin layer of polyester (Hybrid), which lasts longer than plain cotton paper Banknotes.

These Banknotes are being printed/produced by Giesecke & Devrient Currency Technology, the Banknote and security paperprinting major and Louisenthal.

The Front of the 50,000 Dram Banknote placed against a background image of the Back of the Banknote

The Front and Back of  the 50,000 Dram Banknote placed together

On the Front of the 50,000 Dram Banknote is seen an image of Saint Gregory, the Illuminator. 

He is shown standing in front of contemporary manuscripts.

St. Gregory ,the Illuminator - He is the patron Saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He was a religious leader who converted Armenia to Christianity in 301 AD. 

Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion.

On the Back of the 50,000 Dram Banknote is seen an image of Khor Virap monastery (Chapel of St. Gregory), Ararat Plain and the tombstone of St. Gregory the Illuminator. There is also an adoption scene engraved on a wall in the monastery complex.

The colour of this Banknote is Gold and its dimensions are 155 mm x 72 mm.

The Front and Back of the 20,000 Dram Banknote placed together

On the Front of the 20,000 Dram Banknote is seen an image of Ivan Aivazovsky.

There is a background of some of his works.

Ivan Aivazovsky - He was a Russian Romantic painter who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of marine art. Baptised as Hovhannes  Alvazian, he was born into an Armenian family in the Black Sea port of Feodosia in Crimea. The vast majority of his works are sea-scapes, battle scenes, Armenian themes and portraiture.

On the Back of the 20,000 Dram Banknote is seen  the Aivazovsky Art Gallery and a panorama of the painter's birth-place, Theodosia along with the monument to Ivan Aivazovsky in Yerevan. 

The colour of this Banknote is Blue and its dimensions/size is 150 mm x 72 mm.

The Front and Back of the 10,000 Dram Banknote placed together

On the Front of the 10,000 Dram Banknote is seen an image of Soghomon Soghomonian. 

There is a background of pages from his manuscripts and an Armenian landscape.

Soghomon Soghomonian - He was ordained and commonly known as "Komitas" or "Gomidas". He was an Armenian priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer and choir-master, who is considered the founder of Armenian National School of Music. He is recognised as one of the pioneers of ethnomusicology.

On the Back of the 10,000 Dram Banknote is seen an image of Gevorgian Seminary building and selections from frescos in the seminary hall and the statue/monument of "Komitas" in Etchmiadzin. .

The colour of this Banknote is purple and its Dimensions/Size are 145 mm x 72 mm.

Banknotes which will be circulated/introduced on 25.12.2018: 

Three denominations are scheduled to be released under the Third Series of Banknotes - 1,000 Dram, 2,000 Dram and 5.000 Dram denominations. 

                    The Front of the 5,000 Dram Banknote

The 5,000 Dram Banknote depicts the American-Armenian author William Saroyan. 

William Saroyan -  was a novelist, playwright and short story teller. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940 and in 1943, he won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film adaptation of his novel "The Human Comedy". He wrote extensively about the Armenian immigrant life in California.

           The Back of the 2,000 Dram Banknote

                   The Front of the 2,000 Dram Banknote

The 2,000 Dram Banknote depicts the Chess Grandmaster Tigran Petrosian.

Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian - was a Soviet-Armenian Grandmaster and World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his almost impenetrable defensive playing style, which emphasised safety above all else. 

            The Back of the 2,000 Dram Banknote

        The Front of the 1,000 Dram Banknote

The 1,000 Dram Banknote is dedicated to the poet Paruyr Sevak.
   

Paruyr Sevak was an Armenian poet, translator and literary critic. He is considered to be one of the greatest Armenian poets of the 20th Century.

   The Back of the 1,000 Dram Banknote

Security Features (include):

G & D Currency Technology  and Louisenthal have produced the new Banknote series for Armenia. 

The new Banknotes follow on from last December's 500 Dram Commemorative Banknote featuring a Noah's ark motif, which won the "Regional Banknote of the Year Award" for design and technology. (I have this Banknote in my collection. My post on this blog can be accessed at the following link: Noah's Ark: A 500 Dram Collector's Banknote from the Central Bank of Armenia in circulation from 22.11.2017

Hybrid substrate:

Hybrid (TM) is made up of a cotton core with a protective polyester film. Just like cotton Banknotes, Hybrid Banknotes can be printed with any design and have any security feature applied without restriction.

Each denomination in the new Armenian Series is equipped with the latest security features, which guarantee protection against counterfeiting - a 5 mm-wide Galaxy (R) security thread with machine-readable MultiCode (TM) design elements, a 3D-effect watermark, a LaserCut (TM) window and a two-colour iridescent strip on the Back.

Galaxy (R) security thread combines colour shift with 3D and movement effects, made possible by a thread composed of millions of micro-mirrors arranged in a minute space. These create a striking colour effect, which counterfeiters cannot imitate.

These Hybrid Banknotes are more resilient and durable in circulation, as such, they do not need to be replaced frequently & have longer circulation lives, thus proving cost-effective in the long run.