On February 4, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) won the Best New Series of Banknotes award. Presented at the High Security Printing—Europe, Middle East, and Africa (HSP-EMEA) Conference in Basel, Switzerland, the prestigious international award recognized the CBK’s 2024 series of Kenyan shilling (KES) 1,000, 500, 200, 100, and 50 bank notes, particularly their new security features. “The award puts the Kenyan series of bank notes at the forefront of being appealing, secure, and of world-class status,” says CBK Governor Dr. Kamau Thugge.
New Security Features
The notes utilize Louisenthal’s RollingStar® i+ thread. The other security features include ultraviolet (UV) iridescent bands and dual-color fluorescence. The 1,000, 500, and 200 notes have the ZigZag dynamic movement effect, and the 100 and 50 notes use the Crystal effect. To help individuals determine if the notes are genuine, the word “KENYA” and the note’s denomination are slightly raised, and there are raised bars on the notes’ edges, which correlate to the denomination. Additionally, when held to the light, the notes reveal a lion’s head watermark and the security thread. The security thread’s color changes when the note is tilted, and the golden band with the denomination incorporates security features visible in UV light.
Additionally, each note features an element of Kenya, including green energy (KES50), agriculture (KES100), social services (KES200), tourism (KES500), and governance (KES1,000). The notes also include new signatures for Dr. Thugge and the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury Dr. Chris Kiptoo.
The notes have been circulating alongside 2019 examples, and all notes currently in circulation remain legal tender.
