South Africa: Reserve Bank launches new banknotes and coins

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has unveiled South Africa’s upgraded banknotes and coin on 03 May 2023. The new denominations are available from today (04 May 2023) and will be introduced incrementally. The upgraded banknotes and coin series will co-circulate with the current series and retain the same value per denomination. The security upgrade is in line with international best practice to ensure we stay ahead of counterfeiters.

The upgraded banknotes continue to pay homage to South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, with his portrait featured on the front of all five denominations while the Big Five animals are depicted as a family. The new (fourth decimal) coin series is based on the theme of deep ecology, which celebrates the interconnectedness of humans and other living organisms as an integral part of the environment.

• R5 depicts the southern right whale along with a school of galjoen - South Africa’s national fish.
• R2 features the springbok family along with its habitat.
• R1 depicts the king protea.
• 50c depicts the Knysna turaco.
• 20c shows the bitter aloe.
• 10c depicts the Cape honey bee.

South Africa: New banknotes to feature former president Nelson Mandela

update (31 Oct 2012): The bank notes featuring former president Nelson Mandela will enter circulation in South Africa on 06 November 2012, the South African Reserve Bank said on 30 Oct 2012. 

The South African Reserve Bank announced the forthcoming introduction of a new series of banknotes honouring former president Nelson Mandela. The new banknotes, which are equipped with a unique combination of state-of-the-art security features, will come into circulation before the end of 2012. The new banknotes will also have enhanced features for the visually impaired, including raised print on both sides.
The front of the banknotes feature an image of South Africa's first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela, while the back of the notes have maintained the "Big Five" animal images that appear on current banknotes. The current and the new banknotes will co-circulate and both are legal tender.

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update (21 Sept 2012): To introduce South Africa's new banknotes, the South African Reserve Bank has released a TV commercial to inform the public.