According to a press release dated 3 November 2015, the National Bank of Georgia has unveiled designs of new 20-, 50-, and 100-lari banknotes to be introduced in February 2016. Designed by Bacha Malazonia, the notes have revised designs/colors/dimensions and security features enhanced with assistance from De La Rue (England), Giesecke & Devrient (Germany), and Oberthur Fiduciare (France), although the bank has not disclosed which firm actually printed the notes. The 5- and 10-lari notes will be upgraded “later.”



B256 (PNL): 20 lari (US$12)
Magenta. Front: Denomination as registration device; magenta-to-green SPARK ornament; publishing house; magazine Sakartvelos Moambe and newspaper Iveria; personal belongings, including lens, watch, pen, and inkpot; publisher Ilia Chavchavadze. Back: Panorama of old Tbilisi featuring the Narikala fortress; equestrian monument to King Vakhtang Gorgasali; map of Tbilisi in the 18th century (prepared by Vakhushti Batonishvili); coat of arms. Iridescent stripe. Holographic stripe with Ilia Chavchavadze, 20, phaeton (horse-drawn carriage), and map of Georgia. Magenta-to-gold windowed security thread with demetalized 20 ლარი. Watermark: Ilia Chavchavadze with electrotype 20 and lari symbol. Printer: Unknown. 132 x 66 mm.
a. 2016. Signature 10. Prefix AA. Expected new issue in 2016.



B257 (PNL): 50 lari (US$30)
Green. Front: Denomination as registration device; green-to-gold SPARK ornament; cave monastery in Vardzia; King Tamar; XIII-century bas-relief from Pitareti Virgin Mari Monastery. Back: Astrological sign of Sagittarius from a Georgian miniature manuscript of the XII century; coat of arms. Iridescent stripe. Holographic stripe with King Tamar, 50, lari symbol, griffin, and map of Georgia. Magenta-to-green windowed security thread with demetalized 50 ლარი. Watermark: King Tamar with electrotype 50 and lari symbol. Printer: Unknown. 137 x 68 mm.
a. 2016. Signature 10. Prefix AA. Expected new issue in 2016.



B258 (PNL): 100 lari (US$59)
Violet. Front: Denomination as registration device; magenta-to-green SPARK ornament; poet Shota Rustaveli; VII-century bas-relief of biblical story “Daniel in the Den of Lions” from Martvili Cathedral of Assumption of the Virgin Mary; poem “The Knight in the Tiger Skin.” Back: Gas lamp post; the Zakaria Paliashvili Tbilisi State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet on Freedom Square in Tbilisi; coat of arms. Iridescent stripe. Holographic stripe with Shota Rustaveli, 100, lari symbol, flowers, and map of Georgia. Blue-to-red windowed security thread with demetalized 100 ლარი. Watermark: Shota Rustaveli with electrotype 100 and lari symbol. Printer: Unknown. 142 x 70 mm.
a. 2016. Signature 10. Prefix AA. Expected new issue in 2016.

Courtesy of Cleo Phas, Albert Vokhmin, and Malkhaz Shvelidze.

Tags: Georgia