The Bank of Zambia will be issuing into circulation banknotes that have been upgraded with new security features.
The new security features have been included in order to strengthen the security of the banknotes against counterfeiting and for easy verification by members of the public.
Bank of Zambia Governor Dr. Denny Kalyalya has told Journalists in Lusaka ahead of this year’s Agricultural and Commercial Show that the Bank therefore will always take measures that ensures the Zambian banknotes are adequately protected from counterfeiting.
Dr. Kalyalya says this includes continually adopting more advanced security features that safeguard the integrity of the national currency.
He says the same time, the authenticity of the banknotes must be easy to verify.
Dr. Kalyalya has advised that the Bank will start circulating the upgraded banknotes in a phased manner, starting the with K2 and K5 denominations in August 2018.
He says the Bank will not withdraw the existing banknotes until the end of their circulation life.
The Central Bank Governor states that this means that the existing banknotes will co-circulate with the upgraded series and will continue to be honored at full value.
The Bank has upgraded the Zambian banknotes as follows:
I. K 20, K 50 and K 100 denominations
a) A new security feature called SPARKLIVE has been incorporated in the figure on the lower right hand side to further shield these banknotes from being counterfeited. This security feature will exhibit three overt visual characteristics i.e. color- shift properties, optical brightness and dynamic light effects.
b) A 5 mm optically visible four window security thread with micro optical dynamic effects has replaced the hologram on the three denominations.
c) The ‘birds in flight’ feature has shifted from the right edge of the back of the banknote to the left edge
d) “The tactile mark” for the visually impaired have now been put on both edges of the banknotes to enhance tactility or the feel effect.
II. K 10 denomination
a) A new four-window security thread will replace the hologram on the front of the banknote.
b) Tactile marks for the visually impaired have been put on both edges of the banknote to enhance tactility.
III. K 2 and K 5 denominations
a) Different images (dove, text K2 and K5) appear as a new glossy varnish with a blind embossing for ease of identification.
b) Tactile marks for the visually impaired have been put on both edges of the banknotes to enhance tactility.
