NEW SLOVAK BANK NOTES

Slovakia now also has new and beautiful paper currency in 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 Slovenskych Korun denominations. The first note issued was 50 Slovenskych korun on August 1, 1993. The 20 and 50 Slovenskych korun notes were printed by British American Bank note Company in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and the 100, 500 and 1000 Korun notes issued later on in the Fall of 1993, were printed by De La Rue Bank note Company in England.

I would say, that they are the most beautiful money I had ever seen.

20 Slovenskych korun

Shows the portrait of Prince Pribina, the first known Slovak ruler whose seat was in Nitra until 833 on one side and on the back side is the Nitra's castle, a witness to the rich history of the town of Nitra, that was the center of a significant political formation-the principality of Nitra-until the eleventh century. The main design is overprinted several times by a part of a coral necklace dating back to the ninth century with crescent-shaped bronze locket found by archaeologists at Nitra-Lupky.

50 Slovenskych korun

Has St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the Slavonic missionaries and teachers of the Slavs at the time of the Great Moravian Empire on one side and two hands with first seven letters of the ancient Slavonic alphabet between them as a symbol of the gift of the brothers from Thessaloniki to our predecessors, on the other side. There is also a mirrored silhouette of a small Roman church from Drazovce close to Nitra, symbolizing the Christian traditions, of Slovakia.

100 Slovenskych korun

Has Madonna from the Altar of Birth at Roman Catholic Church of St. Jacob in Levo6a on one side. This Gothic ornamental sculpture is the work of the outstanding medieval artist-sculptor and wood-carver Master Pavol of Levoca. The old historical Levoca's Town Hall together with the Church of St. Jacob forms the motif on the reverse side of the bank note. This motif is overprinted by an illustration of a Godthic stone head from the sacristy of the old church of the Minorite order at Levoca.

500 Slovenskych Korun

Has one of the most important personalities of the Slovak nation of nineteenth century-Ludovit Stur, the main creator of the concept of Slovak national independence, and creator of Slovak literary language on one side and on the other side is a composition of the Bratislava's castle together with a baroque style church of St. Michael and a part of a gothic: tower of the Klarisky Church. In the middle of the composition is the oldest ground plan of Bratislava from 15th century from wood carving Chronica Picta-Bratislava's castle, three churches behind fortified walls and stylized picture of the river Danube.

1000 Slovenskych Korun

Has portrait of Andrej Hlinka (1864-1938), one of the most important personalities of the modem Slovak history, whom was instrumental in influencing the national self-consciousness and social economical movement in Slovakia. On the other side are elements that are connected with the places of his work. The central motive is a Madonna the defender from medieval wall painting of Roman Catholic Church in Sliace, close to Ruzomberok. On the left side is a picture of the Roman Catholic church of St. Andrew in Ruzomberok together with the mausoleum of Andrej Hlinka.

All of the Slovak notes are designed to make the counterfeiting impossible. Among the safety features are:

THE PAPER is the characteristic sign of distinguishing the real note from forged one. The paper is special, naturally colored to which safety elements are incorporated during its production.

WATER MARK is a picture of the note's face portrait made by special technique, visible by looking against the light.

SAFETY STRIP about 16th of an inch wide is inserted into the bank note paper. It comes to the surface on the face side of the note creating six, visible by sight metallic windows about 114 inch in length. By looking against the light the strip appears to be dark and uncut, with repeated micro text of the note's denomination.

PRINTING with the combination of three techniques: deep print, plate print, and embroiled print.

SINKING EFFECT is a safety element based on an optical effect created by specific arrangement of plastic lines printed in depth by falling light. The picture is visible only if you line the note with the level of your eyes horizontally against the light source,

MICRO TEXTS are printed on both sides of the notes and besides of being an information they are important safety features as the micro text can't be reproduced.

COMBINED MARK is consisting of two different pictures printed together on both sides of the note. The whole picture is visible only when looking against the light source. On the new notes the combined mark is letter "S."

LIGHT SILVER METALLIC SURFACE PLACE is preventing the transfer of the metallic shine from being copied on the copiers.

SAFETY LINE STRUCTURE is created by very fine lines whose color is charging. By copying the structural effect changes.

During my Christmas visit last year I had used all notes, they really are beautiful, and they feel good. If you ever had the old Czecho-Slovak notes in your hands, you know what am I talking about. The old money really didn't feel good. I guess it was the paper they used.

The new coins and notes are really representative of the Slovak nation and its statehood at home and abroad. Their designs remind the people of their country's ancient history.

I would like to acknowledge the help of Ing. Jozef Kreutz, director of the National Bank of Slovak in Banska Bystrica for providing me very promptly with many materials used in this article.

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Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 2, No. 2, Summer 1994
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1994 
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.