BanknotesBrowse and learn about the design and technical features of the new banknotesCoat of Arms The South African Coat of Arms (i.e. the design or shield that is a special symbol of the Republic of South Africa) is used prominently in the top left-hand corner of all denominations. The Coat of Arms is also visible in the security thread, as a holographic (i.e. three-dimensional) image. Dominant colours of the different denominations The dominant colours of the new banknotes remain the same as the colours on the current banknotes. However, the colour of the R200 has changed to a yellow-orange to distinguish it from the R20 because the current two notes are too similar in colour. - R10: Green
- R20: Brown
- R50: Red
- R100: Blue
- R200: Yellow-orange
Main motif The image of former President Nelson Mandela is printed on the front of all new banknotes, as the main motif. Languages English is used on the front of all denominations. The words “South African Reserve Bank” are translated into two official South African languages on the back of the new banknotes. The languages are as follows for each denomination: | | Front | Back | Language | | R10 | English | Afrikaans siSwati | SUID-AFRIKAANSE RESERVEBANK LIBHANGESILULU LENINGIZIMU AFRIKA | | R20 | English | Setswana isiNdebele | BANKAKGOLO YA AFORIKABORWA IBULUNGELO-MALI ELIKHULU LESEWULA AFRIKA | | R50 | English | isiXhosa Tshivenda | IBHANKI ENGUVIMBA YOMZANTSI AFRIKA BANNGA YA VHUKATI YA AFRIKA TSHIPEMBE | | R100 | English | Sesotho sa Leboa/Sepedi Xitsonga | PANKA YA RESEFE YA AFRIKA BORWA BANGINKULU YA AFRIKA-DZONGA | | R200 | English | isiZulu Sesotho | IBHANGLE LOMBUSO LASENINGIZMU AFRIKA BANKA YA RISEFE YA AFRIKA BORWA |
Denomination numerals on the new banknotes The banknote denomination numerals on the front, bottom right of the new banknotes are printed in colour-changing ink. The Big Five animals are printed on the back of the new banknotes- R10: Rhinoceros
- R20: Elephant
- R50: Lion
- R100: Buffalo
- R200: Leopard
Size of the new banknotes The new banknotes remain the same size as the current banknotes. All new banknotes are 70 mm in height but differ in length by 6 mm as follows: - R10: 70 mm x 128 mm
- R20: 70 mm x 134 mm
- R50: 70 mm x 140 mm
- R100: 70 mm x 146 mm
- R200: 70 mm x 152 mm
Banknote paper The paper of the new banknotes is UV dull and does not fluoresce (i.e., it does not glow) under UV light. The fluorescent fibres that are visible on the current banknotes have not been included in the new banknote series. The new banknotes have a distinctive feel and make a unique sound when snapped between your fingers. Banknote printing Different printing techniques have been used as part of the production process of the new banknotes. Intaglio, or raised printing, is used on both sides of the new banknotes. Look security featuresWatermark  | The watermark is perhaps the best-known security feature among the general public. When you hold a new banknote up to the light, you will see a shadow image of former President Nelson Mandela and the hidden denomination numeral of the banknote. Any banknote that does not contain a watermark is not genuine. (The denomination numeral is clearer than the image.) |
See-through perfect print registration (animal)  | Perfect print registration is a security feature of precision printing. It is where two parts of an image are printed on both the front and back of the banknote at the same time. When the new banknote is held up to the light, you will see an outline of the complete animal that is printed on the back of the banknote.
|
Micro-printing  | The denomination numeral of each of the new banknotes appears in micro-printing in the animals to the left of the image of former President Nelson Mandela. Micro-printing also appears on the back of the banknote. |
Unique numbering  | The unique serial numbers, consisting of letters and numbers, are printed on the back of all new banknotes. A number is printed vertically on the left-hand side and a number is printed horizontally on the top right. The horizontal number is conical, that is, it grows in height from left to right. |
Security thread  | This security thread is 4 mm wide and is woven into the banknote paper. When the new banknote is held up to the light, the security thread appears as a continuous solid dark line. Printed on the security thread is the denomination numeral, a holographic image of the Coat of Arms, and the words “RAND” and “SARB”. |
Feel security featuresRaised printing  | On the front of the new banknotes the image of former President Nelson Mandela, the words “South African Reserve Bank” and the Coat of Arms in the top left-hand corner are in raised print. On the back of the banknote, the animal motifs and the unique numbering are in raised print. |
Overall feel of the banknotes  | The new banknotes have a distinctive crisp feel, because of the unique banknote paper and the raised print. It also has a distinctive sound when snapped between the fingers. |
Feature for the visually impaired  | There is pronounced (i.e. prominent) raised print on the bottom left- and right-hand sides on the front of all the banknotes.- R10: One raised line
- R20: Two raised lines
- R50: Three raised lines
- R100: Four raised lines
- R200: Five raised lines
|
Tilt security featuresSecurity thread  | When the new banknotes are tilted, the security thread will change to a different colour that is unique to each denomination.- R10: Green to magenta (i.e. a purple-red colour)
- R20: Magenta to green
- R50: Magenta to gold
- R100: Blue to red
- R200: Gold to green.
|
The denomination numerals of the banknotes are in colour-changing ink  | The denomination numerals of the new banknotes change to a different colour when the banknotes are tilted.
On the R50, R100 and R200 banknotes, the denomination numeral is printed in SPARK colour changing ink, which has a rolling-bar effect. When tilted, the colour changes as follows:- R50: Magenta to green
- R100: Green to blue
- R200: Gold to green.
|  | On the R10 and R20 banknotes, the denomination numeral is printed in optical variable ink (colour-changing ink). When tilted, the colour changes as follows:- R10: Green to magenta
- R20: Magenta to green.
|
Hidden image (Latent image)  | When a new banknote is held almost horizontally to your eyes, a shadow image of the denomination numeral appears in the band below the image of former President Nelson Mandela. |
| | Share| |   |
|