India: RBI to issue new 500 Rupee note with E inset letter

The Reserve Bank of India announced the release of 500 Rupees banknote with E inset letter (in both numbering panels) in the Mahatma Gandhi Series bearing signature of the present Governor, Dr. D. Subbarao.


Press release of Reserve Bank of India on 17 Sep 2009 .

Thailand: Bi-metallic coins

Thailand has issued lots of bi-metallic commemorative and circulating coins since 1988. A partially complete list can be found in Worldwide Bi-Metallic Collectors Club website.

A more complete list with images will soon be available here absolutely free of charge. Leave your email addresses at the comment box and be the first to receive copies.

Thailand: Banknote Serial numbers

Thai banknotes have serial numbers at top left and bottom right corners. The top left serial number has a prefix consisting of single digit Thai number and a Thai letter of alphabet followed by a 7 digit number.







The bottom right serial number similarly has a prefix consisting of single digit Western numeral and a letter of the English alphabet followed by a 7 digit number using Western numerals.

Prefix system:
In any note, the Thai and Western numeral prefix (indicated by 1 and 4 in images) are always same.

9 Thai and 9 English letters (indicated by 2 and 5 above) are used to get various unique combinations for a batch of notes.

For a new series of banknotes (not signature change), prefixes always start from 0กA. Each combination gives a batch of 1million notes (0กA 0000000 - 0กA 9999999). See combinations below.




Serial numbering of Replacement Notes using prefixes "พ" and "S" will be discussed at a later date.

Thailand: Banknotes issued 100 years back

Thailand's 1st series of banknotes were issued in 1902. These notes, by Thomas de la Rue, were printed only on one side and are known as the Uniface series. There were 7 denominations in all - 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 1000 Ticals . Each denomination had many types.

/>

Exactly 100 years back, Thailand issued 1000 Tical Uniface banknote type 2 into circulation on 23rd May 1909 (R.S. or ร.ศ. 128 ). This type carried signatures of Phra Manatmanit and Prince Kitiyakorn Woralak. Serial numbers started with E1 10001 (จ๑ ๑๐๐๐๑).

Note that these banknotes had 1902 printed on the obverse.

Picture courtesy of Mr. Pipob Charoensri, a fellow collector from Chiangrai, Northern Thailand.