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Numbers on banknotes. What is their use? (by Hans de Heij and Alwin van Gelder) |
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Issue 20, 2006
Serial numbers have been included on banknotes since they were first issued. The number, which is unique for each banknote, allows the note to be traced and identified. Early banknotes were generally numbered by a central bank clerk, in clearly legible handwriting. A practice that prevailed for almost a century. Two centuries later, banknotes are still numbered, albeit that their everyday use, their significance and overall production volumes have changed. In the first of two articles on the subject, Hans de Heij and Alwin van Gelder of the Dutch Central Bank unveil the world of banknote numbers. |
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