Uninhabited Islands

In the August 2023 issue, I presented one of my favorite bank notes (“Rugged Paradise,” p. 59). You may remember the Faroe Islands’ note featured artwork of a ram’s horn, an offshore island, and a bird-nesting cliff site. I will now share with you another beautiful bank note from the same series. 

Faroese Landscapes 

This particular note is the 200 kronur from the Faroese animals and landscapes series. It comes in two types. The first, issued in 2002, features a thin security thread. The second type has a thicker security thread, and some security features differ slightly. Introduced in 2011, it wasn’t issued until 2012.

Ethereal Insect

The front of the note features a partial design of the ghost moth. Only portions of the critters are depicted in this series—it was one of the design features that caught my attention. The gray insect hovers above a nature-inspired yellow and purple background. A rounded offset register that resembles a curved geometric design taken from one of the island’s old wooden churches appears in the upper left corner. The wide and interrupted security thread bears a similar curvy design, and a thinner security strip is seen to the left. You might be able to make out the watermark of a ram to the left of the design. 

The ghost moth featured on the note is part of the family Hepialidae. They are sexually dimorphic, with the females being larger than the males. A favorite prey of bats and birds, they lay anywhere from 200 to 2,000 eggs. When the eggs hatch, like a locust, they remain in the larval stage from two to three years. They seem to be pretty open-minded about what they eat. Locals find them munching on their strawberries, lettuce, flowers, and other vegetables. 

The Swedish physicist and botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-78) described these moths in 1758. Readers of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights might recall that these moths are mentioned in the last passage. They may have acquired their common name from European folklore, where white moths were thought to be the souls of the departed. 

Award-winning Artist

The artwork on both sides of this note was drawn by the award-winning Faroese painter Zacharias Heinesen, the son of artist and writer William Heinesen. The back of the note depicts the islet of Tindhólmure at the far left and center. It was named for the land formation’s five peaks: Ytsti (“farthest”), Arni (“eagle”), Litli (“small”), Breidi (“broad”), and Bogni (“bent”). Somehow, out of all that, you get the name Tindhólmure. These uninhabited islands are small at about 160 acres, and the highest peak is about 860 feet. Evidence shows that white-tailed eagles used to nest here.  

Inspiring Notes

The serenity that exudes from this 200-kronur note’s simple yet rich design is calming, and I am comforted by the artwork’s wild beauty. This series of bank notes altered my collecting focus. For a long time, I was satisfied with securing a single note of each nation. However, this family of notes made me want to acquire every note in the series, which I have never done before. I now have the lower three denominations, and as finances and availability allow, I will add the rest of these artistic and inspiring notes to my collection.  

Artists, insects, islands, water, and clouds are all themes that fit this bank note. The beauty found on these notes makes me stop and enjoy the breathtaking scenic opportunities in this world. Have a jewel of a day!

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A version of this article appears in the May 2025 issue of The Numismatist (money.org)