Pakistan issues new 100- and 500-rupee notes (B235a, B236a)

The Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar launched Rs. 100 and Rs. 500 new design bank notes at a ceremony held today at SBP Head Office, Karachi. The launch of these notes is part of a campaign to eliminate counterfeiting of notes in the country.

The State Bank has taken advantage of the latest technology to make these notes virtually impossible to be forged by incorporating the state-of-the-art security features that are easy to recognize but almost impossible to counterfeit.

Some of the special security features added in the new design banknotes are anti-copy and anti-scan, microlettering, a latent image of the denomination which can be seen when the note is tilted, a windowed security thread that changes colors when seen against the light, and a registration device.

The launch of these high-tech notes is also expected to revolutionize the banking business in Pakistan as these notes are equipped with machine-readable features. This will facilitate automation of handling of notes by banks and use of equipment to detect counterfeiting while processing the notes. Due to presence of special features in these notes, ATMs that can receive as well as dispense cash can now be introduced in Pakistan.

The old design Rs.100 (B226) and Rs.500 (B227) will remain in circulation as legal tender along with the new design notes.

With this launch, the State Bank has already introduced new design notes of Rs. 10, 20, 100, 500, and 5,000 denominations. The State Bank plans to complete its current design upgrading campaign of notes when new designs of the remaining denominations of Rs. 50 and Rs. 1,000 are introduced early in 2007.


100 rupees (US$1.65), 2006. Issued 10 November 2006. Red, violet, and tan. Microlettering, windowed security thread, and denomination as latent image and registration device. Signature: Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Governor. Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat on back. Printer: Security Printing Corporation.


500 rupees (US$8.25), 2006. Issued 10 November 2006. Teal, blue, and olive green. Microlettering, windowed security thread, and denomination as latent image and registration device. Signature: Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Governor. Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Badshahi Mosque in Lahore on back. Printer: Security Printing Corporation.

Courtesy of Cleophas Elmakias Schockemohle. Thanks also to Muhammad Rizwan for informing me that both of these notes are also available as specimens with all-zero serial numbers and the word “SPECIMEN” punched into the note in large letters.