Ahead of the first new 50 NIS banknote entering circulation, the Bank of Israel provided the first samples to manufacturers, suppliers, and operators of vending, counting and sorting machines, in order to calibrate them to accept the new banknote. The Bank of Israel is allocating considerable resources in supplying information and guidance to the relevant professional firms, in order to enable them to prepare, technically and operationally, in a timely fashion. Technical data and banknote samples were delivered within the framework of designated training which was conducted today in Jerusalem. As noted, the objective was to provide those firms with enough time, pursuant to their request, to calibrate their machines and equipment.

The Bank of Israel is investing considerable resources and efforts so that Israel’s banknotes will be secure and very advanced, in line with global technological trends, in order to maintain confidence in the currency and economic stability in Israel. The developments in banknotes, the increased level of counterfeits around the world, and the technology that counterfeiters possess require the Bank to bring the banknotes’ standards in line with the challenges of coming years. Banknotes from the new series will feature advanced standards of security, innovation, and accessibility. The banknotes differ from each other in color and length for the benefit of the blind and vision impaired, and the banknotes incorporate advanced anti-counterfeiting security features.

The Bank of Israel is introducing the final and detailed design of the new banknote, so that the public can begin to become familiar with it. Before the new banknote enters circulation, the Bank will publish comprehensive explanatory information about the security features integrated into the banknotes, information about exchanging the banknotes and about the period in which both the old and new banknotes will be in circulation. It should be noted that the existing banknotes will continue to be legal tender for several years, and the public will be provided a timeframe of several years during which it will be possible to exchange the old banknotes for the new ones.

Details of the new NIS 50 banknote:

· Denomination NIS 50

· Portrait (horizontal) Shaul Tchernichovsky

· Dominant color: Green

· Size 136mm x 71mm

· Background picture on front of note -Citrus tree and its fruits

· Microtext on front of note (can only be seen with a magnifying glass)

· Poem: Oh, My Land, My Birthplace (1)

· Background pictures on back of note – Capitals of Corinthian columns (2)

· Text on back of note: Segment from the poem: “I Believe”

· Signs for blind and vision impaired: Different length for each denomination in the series—a difference of 7mm; designated raised ink symbol for each denomination, transparent and discernible by touch.

(1) The poem “Oh, My Land, My Homeland”, which was the inspiration for the design of the front of the banknote, contains the words “the bouquet of spring orchards” and so a citrus tree and its fruits appear.

(2) The back of the banknote portrays a Corinthian column in reference to parts of Tchernichovsky’s compositions and his wonderful translations of ancient Greek literature.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)