Commemorative banknotes

A commemorative banknote is an issue that a central bank releases for a specific reason—an anniversary, a championship, an inauguration—and with a predetermined print run. That last part is what interests collectors: once it sells out, it is not reprinted.

What is commemorated on banknotes

Anniversaries of the issuing bank itself, such as the 60th anniversary of the Central Bank of Nicaragua. Independence days and bicentennials, such as that of the Battle of Carabobo in Venezuela. Major sporting events, such as the Africa Cup in Morocco or the World Cup. And millennium changes: the year 2000 produced a wave of Y2K issues in Fiji, the Bahamas, and a dozen other countries.

Why they are usually made of polymer

Because the plastic substrate allows for transparent windows, holograms, and eye-catching formats, which is precisely what is sought in a special issue. Many commemoratives are the only polymer banknote that country has ever issued.

How to collect them

There are two schools of thought. One is thematic: collecting all commemoratives of a certain theme, for example, those from the year 2000 or sports-related ones. The other is by country, adding the commemorative to that nation's regular series. It is worth noting whether the piece comes with an official folder: some issues were distributed in numbered folders and are worth significantly more with them.

Condition and shipping

All items are described with their actual condition and catalog reference. They are shipped protected and with tracking from Spain.