List of motifs on banknotes
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This is a list of current motifs on the banknotes of different countries. The customary design of banknotes in most countries is a portrait of a notable citizen on the front (or obverse) and a different motif on the back (or reverse) - often something relating to that person. One exception to this is the Euro banknotes, where non-existent architectural structures have been chosen to avoid the impression of a national bias. Even though most banknotes have more than one motif on each side, only the main motifs are described here.
[edit] Argentina
The official currency of Argentina is the Argentine peso (ARS). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| ARS 2 | Bartolomé Mitre | Mitre Museum |
| ARS 5 | José de San Martín | Cerro de la Gloria, Mendoza |
| ARS 10 | Manuel Belgrano | National Flag Memorial |
| ARS 20 | Juan Manuel de Rosas | Battle of Vuelta de Obligado |
| ARS 50 | Domingo Faustino Sarmiento | Casa de Gobierno |
| ARS 100 | Julio Argentino Roca | Desert Conquest |
[edit] Australia
The official currency of Australia is the Australian dollar (AUD). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| AUD 5 | Queen Elizabeth II | Parliament House |
| AUD 5 | Henry Parkes | Catherine Helen Spence (Federal note) |
| AUD 10 | AB 'Banjo' Paterson | Mary Gilmore |
| AUD 20 | Mary Reibey | John Flynn |
| AUD 50 | David Unaipon | Edith Cowan |
| AUD 100 | Dame Nellie Melba | Sir John Monash |
[edit] Brazil
The official currency of Brazil is the Brazilian real (BRL). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| BRL 1 | The Republic's sphinx, portrayed as a bust | Sapphire-spangled Emerald Hummingbird |
| BRL 2 | The Republic's sphinx | Hawksbill Turtle |
| BRL 5 | The Republic's sphinx | Great Egret |
| BRL 10 | The Republic's sphinx | Greenwing Macaw |
| BRL 20 | The Republic's sphinx | Golden Lion Tamarin |
| BRL 50 | The Republic's sphinx | Jaguar |
| BRL 100 | The Republic's sphinx | Dusky Grouper |
[edit] Canada
Image:CAD100 Front.png
Obverse of a 100 Canadian dollar banknote
The official currency of Canada is the Canadian dollar (CAD). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| CAD 5 | Wilfrid Laurier | Children playing winter sports |
| CAD 10 | John A. Macdonald | Peacekeeping forces and war memorial |
| CAD 20 | Queen Elizabeth II | Artwork of Bill Reid |
| CAD 50 | William Lyon Mackenzie King | The Valiant Five and Thérèse Casgrain |
| CAD 100 | Robert Borden | Maps of Canada, historic and modern |
[edit] Colombia
The official currency of Colombia is the Colombian peso (COP). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| COP 1000 | Jorge Eliécer Gaitán (face) | Jorge Eliécer Gaitán (body until the chest) and a crowd |
| COP 2000 | Francisco de Paula Santander | The door of the Casa de la moneda |
| COP 5000 | Jose Asuncion Silva | Hacienda El Paraiso, from Maria |
| COP 10000 | Policarpa Salavarrieta | Guaduas main plaza |
| COP 20000 | Julio Garavito Armero | The Moon, a reference to the Garavito Crater |
| COP 50000 | Jorge Isaacs | A paragraph of La María |
[edit] Croatia
The official currency of Croatia is the Croatian kuna (HRK). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| HRK 5 | Fran Krsto Frankopan and ban Petar Zrinski | Castle in Varaždin (mirrored) |
| HRK 10 | Juraj Dobrila | Arena in Pula |
| HRK 20 | Ban Josip Jelačić | Castle of the Eltz family in Vukovar and Vučedol Dove |
| HRK 50 | Ivan Gundulić | Dubrovnik |
| HRK 100 | Viceroy (ban) Ivan Mažuranić | Church of Saint Vitus in Rijeka |
| HRK 200 | Stjepan Radić | Building of the High military command in the Austrian fortress Tvrđa in Osijek |
| HRK 500 | Marko Marulić | Diocletian's Palace in Split |
| HRK 1000 | Ante Starčević | Statue of the medieval king Tomislav and Zagreb cathedral in Zagreb |
[edit] Denmark
The official currency of Denmark is the Danish krone (DKK). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| DKK 50 | Karen Blixen | Centaur from Landet Church |
| DKK 100 | Carl Nielsen | Basilisk from Tømmerby Church |
| DKK 200 | Johanne Luise Heiberg | Lion from Viborg Cathedral |
| DKK 500 | Niels Bohr | Knight fighting a dragon from Lihme Church |
| DKK 1000 | Anna and Michael Ancher | Tournament from Bislev Church |
[edit] Egypt
The official currency of Egypt is the Egyptian pound (EGP). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| LE 1 | the Mosque of Sultan Qaitbay | a part of the facade of Abu Simbel Temple |
| LE 5 | Mosque of Ibn Tulun جامع أحمد بن طولون , in Cairo | the River Nile bestowing its blessing on the Valley |
| LE 10 | Al Rifa'i Mosque جامع الرفاعى ,in Cairo | A statute of Khafre الملك خفرع |
| LE 20 | Mosque of Muhammad Ali جامع محمد على at the Citadel, Cairo | relief pharaonic drawings on one of the pillars of Sesostris I Temple |
| LE 50 | Abu Hariba Mosque | an inside view of Edfu Temple |
| LE 100 | Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan جامع السلطان حسن , in Cairo | head of the Sphinx statue |
[edit] England
The official currency of England is the pound sterling (GBP). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| GBP 5 | Queen Elizabeth II | Elizabeth Fry |
| GBP 10 | Queen Elizabeth II | Charles Darwin |
| GBP 20 | Queen Elizabeth II | Edward Elgar |
| GBP 50 | Queen Elizabeth II | John Houblon |
[edit] Estonia
The official currency of Estonia is the Estonian kroon (EEK). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| EEK 1 | Kristjan Raud | Toompea Castle in Tallinn |
| EEK 2 | Karl Ernst von Baer | University of Tartu |
| EEK 5 | Paul Keres | The Narva river and the Jaanilinn stronghold |
| EEK 10 | Jakob Hurt | The Tamme-Lauri oak at Urvaste |
| EEK 25 | Anton Hansen Tammsaare | A view of Vargamäe |
| EEK 50 | Rudolf Tobias | The Estonia Opera House in Tallinn |
| EEK 100 | Lydia Koidula | North Estonian limestone shore |
| EEK 500 | Carl Robert Jakobson | A barn swallow flying over a landscape |
[edit] Euro Area
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency of the Eurozone (some European Union countries). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| EUR 5 | Classical window | Classical bridge |
| EUR 10 | Romanesque gateway | Romanesque bridge |
| EUR 20 | Gothic windows | Gothic bridge |
| EUR 50 | Renaissance windows | Renaissance bridge |
| EUR 100 | Baroque/Rococo gateway | Baroque/Rococo bridge |
| EUR 200 | 19th/20th century windows | 19th/20th century bridge |
| EUR 500 | Modern windows | Modern bridge |
[edit] Hungary
The official currency of Hungary is the Hungarian forint (HUF). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| HUF 200 | Róbert Károly | Diósgyőr Castle |
| HUF 500 | Francis II Rákóczi | Sárospatak Castle |
| HUF 1000 | King Matthias Corvinus | Hercules Fountain in Visegrád |
| HUF 2000 | Gábor Bethlen | Bethlen and his scientists |
| HUF 5000 | Count István Széchenyi | Széchenyi Mansion in Nagycenk |
| HUF 10000 | King Stephen I of Hungary | Esztergom |
| HUF 20000 | Ferenc Deák | Hungarian Parliament |
[edit] Iceland
The official currency of Iceland is the Icelandic króna (ISK). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| ISK 500 | Jón Sigurðsson | Reykjavík grammar school |
| ISK 1000 | Brynjólfur Sveinsson | Brynjólfskirkja |
| ISK 2000 | Jóhannes S. Kjarval | Painting and drawing by Karval |
| ISK 5000 | Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir | Laufáskirkja altar cloth |
[edit] India
The official currency of India is the Indian rupee (INR). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| INR 5 | Mahatma Gandhi | Tractor |
| INR 10 | Mahatma Gandhi | Rhinoceros, elephant, tiger |
| INR 20 | Mahatma Gandhi | Palm trees |
| INR 50 | Mahatma Gandhi | Parliament of India |
| INR 100 | Mahatma Gandhi | Himalaya Mountains |
| INR 500 | Mahatma Gandhi | Dandi March |
| INR 1000 | Mahatma Gandhi | Economy of India |
[edit] Japan
The official currency of Japan is the Japanese yen (JPY). The motifs used are:
1984 Series:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| JPY 1000 | Natsume Soseki | Pair of Cranes |
| JPY 5000 | Nitobe Inazo | Mt. Fuji, Lake Motosuko and Cherry blossoms |
| JPY 10000 | Fukuzawa Yukichi | Pair of Pheasants |
2004 Series:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| JPY 1000 | Noguchi Hideyo | Mt. Fuji, Lake Motosuko and Cherry blossoms |
| JPY 5000 | Higuchi Ichiyo | "Kakitsubata-zu" (Painting of Irises, a work by Ogata Korin) |
| JPY 10000 | Fukuzawa Yukichi | Statue of hōō (phoenix) from Byōdō-in Temple |
[edit] Jersey
Banknotes of the Jersey pound (JEP) are issued in Jersey. The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| JEP 1 | Queen Elizabeth II | St. Helier Parish Church (commemorative showing Mont Orgueil also in circulation) |
| JEP 5 | Queen Elizabeth II | La Corbière lighthouse |
| JEP 10 | Queen Elizabeth II | The Death of Major Pierson, Battle of Jersey |
| JEP 20 | Queen Elizabeth II | St. Ouen's manor |
| JEP 50 | Queen Elizabeth II | Government House |
[edit] Lithuania
The official currency of Lithuania is the Lithuanian litas (LTL). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| LTL 1 (no longer in print) | Žemaitė | Wooden church of Palūšė |
| LTL 2 (no longer in print) | Motiejus Valančius | Trakai Island Castle |
| LTL 5 (no longer in print) | Jonas Jablonskis | Sculpture "Vargo mokykla" (School of Hardship) by Petras Rimša |
| LTL 10 | Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas | Lituanica flying over the Atlantic Ocean |
| LTL 20 | Maironis | Vytautas the Great War Museum and its carillon tower, the Statue of Liberty in Kaunas |
| LTL 50 | Jonas Basanavičius | Vilnius Cathedral and its belfry, Monument to Grand Duke Gediminas, Gediminas Tower and the Hill of Three Crosses |
| LTL 100 | Simonas Daukantas | Vilnius Old Town: Vilnius University and Church of St. John |
| LTL 200 | Vydūnas | Lighthouse in Klaipėda |
| LTL 500 | Vincas Kudirka | Loops of the Neman River |
[edit] Norway
The official currency of Norway is the Norwegian krone (NOK). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| NOK 50 | Peter Chr. Asbjørnsen | Water lillies |
| NOK 100 | Kirsten Flagstad | Norwegian National Opera |
| NOK 200 | Kristian Birkeland | Northern lights |
| NOK 500 | Sigrid Undset | Wreath |
| NOK 1000 | Edvard Munch | Sun (painting by Munch) |
[edit] Pakistan
The official currency of Pakistan is the Pakistani rupee (PKR). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| PKR 10 | M. Ali Jinnah | Khyber Pass in Peshawar |
| PKR 20 | M. Ali Jinnah | Mohenjo-daro in Larkana |
| PKR 50 | M. Ali Jinnah | Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore Fort in Lahore |
| PKR 100 | M. Ali Jinnah | Ziarat Residency in Quetta |
| PKR 500 | M. Ali Jinnah | Badshahi Mosque in Lahore |
| PKR 1000 | M. Ali Jinnah | Tomb of Jahangir in Lahore |
| PKR 5000 | M. Ali Jinnah | Faisal Mosque in Islamabad |
[edit] Philippines
The official currency of the Philippines is the Philippine peso (PHP). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| PHP 5 | Emilio Aguinaldo | Scene from the Philippine Declaration of Independence |
| PHP 10 | Apolinario Mabini and Andres Bonifacio | Barasoain Church and the initiation rites of the Katipunan |
| PHP 20 | Manuel Quezon | Malacañang Palace |
| PHP 50 | Sergio Osmeña | National Museum of the Philippines |
| PHP 100 | Manuel Roxas | Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas complex |
| PHP 200 | Diosdado Macapagal | Scene from EDSA Dos and the swearing-in of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as president |
| PHP 500 | Benigno Aquino, Jr. | Scenes related to the life of Benigno Aquino, Jr. |
| PHP 1000 | Jose Abad Santos, Vicente Lim, and Josefa Llanes Escoda | Banaue Rice Terraces, Manunggul jar cover and Langgal |
| PHP 2000 | Inauguration of Joseph Estrada as President | President Fidel Ramos and First Lady Amelita Ramos during the flag-raising ceremonies of the 1998 Philippine Independence Centennial Celebrations. |
[edit] Poland
The official currency of Poland is the Polish złoty (PLN). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| PLN 10 | Mieszko I | Silver coin from reign of Mieszko I |
| PLN 20 | Boleslaus I the Brave | Silver coin from reign of Boleslaus I |
| PLN 50 | Casimir III the Great | Eagle from royal seal of Casimir III |
| PLN 100 | Wladislaus II Jagiełło | Eagle from tombstone of Wladislaus II |
| PLN 200 | Sigismund I the Old | Eagle from the Sigismund Chapel, Wawel Hill |
[edit] Romania
Image:NEW8R1-0005Lei20050701.jpg
Reverse and Obverse of a 5 Romanian New Lei banknote
The official currency of Romania is the New Leu (RON). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| RON 5 | George Enescu (1881-1955), Coat of arms of Romania at top right | Romanian Athenaeum concert hall at left, A fragment of the score of the Enescu's opera King Oedipus above. A musician's piano at centre right. |
| RON 10 | Nicolae Grigorescu (1838-1907, Hollyhock flower, an artist's palette and paintbrush | Nicolae Grigorescu's painting "Rodica" |
| RON 50 | Aurel Vlaicu (1882-1913), A mountain flower edelweiss, an aircraft propeller, Romanian coat of arms | Mountain eagle head, "Vlaicu II" aircraft design and "Gnome" engine sketch |
| RON 100 | Ion Luca Caragiale (1852-1912), Comedy masks and a violet flower | Old building of the Bucharest National Theatre, Caragiale's statue at left |
| RON 200 | Issue expected on 01.12.06 Lucian Blaga (1895-1961) | Issue expected on 01.12.06 |
| RON 500 | Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889), Lime tree blossoms, a quill and an inkpot | Timpul newspaper, University Library in Iaşi |
[edit] Russia
The official currency of Russia is the Russian ruble (RUB). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| RUB 10 | Krasnoyarsk, cathedral | Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric plant |
| RUB 50 | Sculpture from Rostral Column | Former stock exchange building |
| RUB 100 | Sculpture from Bolshoi Theatre | The Bolshoi Theatre |
| RUB 500 | Peter the Great, port | Solovetsky Monastery |
| RUB 1000 | Yaroslav the Wise | Church of the Precursor |
| RUB 5000 | Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky | Bridge of Amur |
[edit] Scotland
The official currency of Scotland is the Pound sterling (GBP). Under Scottish legislation, banknotes are issued by commercial banks not the government. The motifs issued by the Bank of Scotland are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| GBP 5 | Sir Walter Scott | vignette of oil and energy |
| GBP 10 | Sir Walter Scott | vignette of distilling and brewing |
| GBP 20 | Sir Walter Scott | vignette of education and research |
| GBP 50 | Sir Walter Scott | vignette of arts and culture |
| GBP 100 | Sir Walter Scott | vignette of leisure and tourism |
The Royal Bank of Scotland issues:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| GBP 1 | Lord Ilay | Edinburgh Castle |
| GBP 5 | Lord Ilay | Culzean Castle |
| GBP 10 | Lord Ilay | Glamis Castle |
| GBP 20 | Lord Ilay | Brodick Castle |
| GBP 50 | Lord Ilay | Inverness Castle |
| GBP 100 | Lord Ilay | Balmoral Castle |
The Clydesdale Bank issues:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| GBP 5 | Robert Burns | vignette of mouse and rose |
| GBP 10 | Mary Slessor | vignette of Nigeria and missionary work |
| GBP 20 | Robert the Bruce | vignette of Bruce, Wallace, Stirling Castle |
| GBP 50 | Adam Smith | vignette of 18th century engineering and agriculture |
| GBP 100 | Lord Kelvin | Kelvin's university lecture room |
[edit] Serbia
The official currency of Serbia is the Serbian dinar (RSD). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| RSD 10 | Vuk Stefanović Karadžić | First Slavic Congress in Prague |
| RSD 20 | Petar II Petrović Njegoš | Njegoš' figure, Mount Lovćen |
| RSD 50 | Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac | Motif from Mokranjac's musical score |
| RSD 100 | Nikola Tesla | Tesla's electro-magnetic induction engine |
| RSD 200 | Nadežda Petrović | Gračanica monastery |
| RSD 500 | Jovan Cvijić | Stylized ethnic motifs |
| RSD 1000 | Đorđe Weifert | Interior of National Bank of Serbia building |
| RSD 5000 | Slobodan Jovanović | Interior of Serbian Parliament |
[edit] Slovakia
The official currency of Slovakia is the Slovak crown (SKK). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| SKK 20 | Prince Pribina | Nitra Castle |
| SKK 50 | Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius | Dražovce church and Glagolitic alphabet |
| SKK 100 | Madonna at Levoča church | Levoča church and city hall |
| SKK 200 | Anton Bernolák | Trnava in the 18th century |
| SKK 500 | Ľudovít Štúr | Bratislava Castle |
| SKK 1000 | Andrej Hlinka | Ružomberok church |
| SKK 5000 | Milan Rastislav Štefánik | Stefanik's grave |
[edit] South Africa
The official currency of South Africa is the South African rand (ZAR). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| ZAR 10 | Rhinoceros | Agriculture |
| ZAR 20 | Elephant | Mining |
| ZAR 50 | Lion | Manufacturing |
| ZAR 100 | Buffalo | Tourism |
| ZAR 200 | Leopard | Transport and Communications |
[edit] Sweden
The official currency of Sweden is the Swedish krona (SEK). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| SEK 20 | Selma Lagerlöf | Nils Holgersson |
| SEK 50 | Jenny Lind | Silver harp |
| SEK 100 | Carolus Linnaeus | Bee pollinating a flower |
| SEK 500 | King Charles XI | Christopher Polhem |
| SEK 1000 | King Gustav Vasa | Harvest by Olaus Magnus |
[edit] Switzerland
The official currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc (CHF). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| CHF 10 | Le Corbusier | Le Corbusier’s buildings in Chandigarh |
| CHF 20 | Arthur Honegger | Elements from Honegger's Pacific 231 |
| CHF 50 | Sophie Taeuber-Arp | Taeuber-Arp's Dada Head |
| CHF 100 | Alberto Giacometti | Giacometti's Man Walking |
| CHF 200 | Charles Ferdinand Ramuz | Swiss mountains and Lavaux area |
| CHF 1000 | Jacob Burckhardt | Detail from the Palazzo Strozzi |
[edit] Turkey
The official currency of Turkey is the New Turkish lira (TRY). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| TRY 1 | Kemal Atatürk | Dam in Şanlıurfa - Adıyaman |
| TRY 5 | Kemal Atatürk | Anitkabir Mausoleum in Ankara |
| TRY 10 | Kemal Atatürk | A world map and a sailing ship |
| TRY 20 | Kemal Atatürk | Efes ruins in Selcuk |
| TRY 50 | Kemal Atatürk | Cappadocia rock formations |
| TRY 100 | Kemal Atatürk | Ishakpasha Palace in Dogubayazit |
[edit] Ukraine
The official currency of Ukraine is the Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH). The motifs used are:
| Denomination | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| UAH 1 | Volodymyr the Great | Kyiv in the time of Ruthenian Kingdom |
| UAH 2 | Yaroslav the Wise | St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv |
| UAH 5 | Bohdan Chmielnicki | A church in Subotiv |
| UAH 10 | Ivan Mazepa | Cave Monastery in Kyiv |
| UAH 20 | Ivan Franko | Opera house in Lviv |
| UAH 50 | Mykhailo Hrushevsky | Former parliament building in Kyiv |
| UAH 100 | Taras Shevchenko | Dnieper |
| UAH 200 | Lesya Ukrainka | Fortress in Lutsk |
| UAH 500 | Hryhoriy Skovoroda | Mohyla Academy Kyiv |
[edit] United States
The official currency of the United States is the United States dollar (USD). The motifs used are:
