The International Bank Note Society (IBNS) has named the winner of the prestigious "Banknote of the Year 2025" award. For the first time in history, the award was granted to the 200 Guilder banknote of the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (B105a). This was announced on April 20, 2026. Out of nearly one hundred new banknotes released worldwide during 2025, IBNS members nominated only 17. From the very first minutes of voting, the Caribbean banknote took the lead and held it confidently until the end.

"World Under Water" Series — A Unified Concept for Five Denominations

The new series consists of five banknotes and is entirely dedicated to the marine world of the Caribbean basin. Each banknote features a sophisticated double-sided composition: the obverse is oriented horizontally, depicting marine life, while the reverse is oriented vertically, showcasing the historical and cultural symbols of the islands. The 200 Guilder note is the highest denomination in the series, rendered in a rich purple color.

The obverse features graceful long-snouted seahorses and a giant tun shell, applied with blue-green optically variable ink (OVI). The reverse depicts the legendary Queen Emma floating bridge, which connects two parts of Curaçao.

Production, Security, and Accessibility

The banknotes in this series are printed on special paper by Crane Currency. They feature one of the most advanced security complexes:

  • "Compass rose" watermark with the letters XCG;

  • Three-dimensional moving stripe;

  • High-relief printing;

  • Color-shifting elements;

  • Security threads with a moving wave effect;

  • Iridescent effect and see-through register. Special attention is paid to tactile marks along the short edges, helping visually impaired individuals easily identify the denomination. The banknote was signed by the President of the Central Bank, Richard A. Doornbosch, and the Secretary of the Directorate, Leila A. Matroos-Lasten. The banknote size is 147 × 66 mm. As of the announcement date, 200 Guilders were equal to approximately 111 US Dollars, 95 Euros, or 83 British Pounds.

Competition and Voting Results

The final list included banknotes from 17 countries. Second place went to the Fiji 5 Dollar note featuring the Kulawai bird and a sea turtle. Third place was secured by the Zambia 100 Kwacha note with an eagle and giraffes. The top 5 also included the Falkland Islands 5 Pound note (portrait of King Charles III) and the Papua New Guinea 50 Kina note with a bird of paradise. This year, a hybrid design won: a horizontal obverse and a vertical reverse. This was an exception compared to the last decade, during which the IBNS often preferred polymer banknotes and fully vertical orientations.

Historical Context of the Award

The IBNS has presented the "Banknote of the Year" award since 2004. Previous winners include: Bermuda (2024), East Caribbean States (2023), Philippines (2022), Mexico (2021, 2020), Aruba (2019), Canada (2018), Switzerland (2017, 2016), New Zealand (2015), and others.

Vitalii Cherniuk - CEO Wprld Banknote Store