New Fiji polymer note series announced

JeffH · December 02, 2025, 01:02:08 PM

Fiji Reserve Bank announce their new series of polymer banknote to be released into circulation 2 January 2026.
Looks like Note Printing Australia missed out as they say this is their first collaboration with Crane Currency. That is strange seeing Crane first printed Fiji banknotes in 1929! I wonder if Crane actually printed them as I know they contract some note printing out.

They have them in their collecter store, some at a significant markup from face value but others not. Several are already "SOLD OUT".
RBF Collections

gweidion · December 02, 2025, 01:59:34 PM

I can't say that I like the look of those. They look like play money.

redlock · December 02, 2025, 07:38:32 PM

Quote from: 'gweidion' pid='130568' dateline='1764646174'I can't say that I like the look of those. They look like play money.

Most (but not all) modern polymer banknotes look like play money.
I vividly remember when we got the Euro banknotes in 2002. Most folks said: Looks like Monopoly (=play) money.

Triggersmob · December 02, 2025, 07:51:24 PM

Nice note Jeff.
The $20 sort of reminded me of the Estonia 500 krooni.
https://en.numista.com/210051

redlock · December 03, 2025, 05:02:25 AM

While I like the obverse I must say that the reverse is -- hmmmmm -- underwhelming.

Secondly, the obverse reminds me of the new banknote series from Curacao/St. Maarten which was also designed and produced by Crane.

The ''specimen'' notes have a markup. The regular notes merely five Fiji dollars. Considering you will (hopefully) get uncirculated banknotes not bad, in my opinion.

JeffH · December 03, 2025, 12:43:01 PM

Quote from: 'redlock' pid='130571' dateline='1764700345'The ''specimen'' notes have a markup. The regular notes merely five Fiji dollars. Considering you will (hopefully) get uncirculated banknotes not bad, in my opinion.

The markup on a full set in a folder is hefty, $350 for $185 face value.
I will ask a friend to see if he can get me some when he is doing the banking early January.

redlock · December 05, 2025, 04:33:57 AM

Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='130572' dateline='1764727981'The markup on a full set in a folder is hefty, $350 for $185 face value.
I will ask a friend to see if he can get me some when he is doing the banking early January.

In a folder. Okay. Hadn't seen that. So that's another story, and there, the markup is indeed quite high.

Keep us posted about your friend's adventures in getting them.

Tanecoins · December 07, 2025, 07:36:10 AM

They look okay to me, not much different design wise, I can see the tails designs have been changed.

For those who can't see - the designs look like

$100 - Hermit crab and Fijian man presenting yaqona? (Kava bowl) on beach
$50 - Trumpet Flower? and Indian woman near immigrant ship (Possible allusion to Girmeet migration 1879)
$20 - Sea bird and Bank of Fiji tower block
$10 - Minnow like fish - Children of 3 races planting tree
$5 - Fijian parrot (Kaka) - Fijian sea turtle (Taku).

I will wait for them to come available.

The mark is not so bad, given that those sets of notes in folders are worth money now and like all Pacific bank notes have fairly low runs (Usually less than 10k for sets and no more than 100k for $100 notes). Its also a lot cheaper to buy single examples of notes like $105 for the new $100. Okay you won't get consecutive serial numbers on each denomination, but you will get a mint note, rare in the Pacific where notes often get worn and dirty due to the humidity and wide usage of them (Especially the 3 lower values).

gweidion · September 22, 2026, 05:57:15 PM

Got some interesting news from a money transfer company.

Fiji is phasing out their old paper banknotes - as of January 1st next year, the paper notes will no longer be legal tender. Only the new polymer ones will be valid.
This (fortunately) doesn't affect me. Never been to Fiji and no real interest in going, but if you are hoarding large quantities of old notes, either spend up big, or arrange to get them converted.

Triggersmob · September 22, 2026, 06:13:09 PM

Interesting news that might affect Jeff. I have been to Fiji twice, and found it to be very nice & friendly. Would like to go back there someday, but might never happen.

JeffH · Reply #10 - Re: New Fiji polymer note series announced

Any paper notes I have are earlier issues and already no longer legal tender. I do have a few UNC and consecutive number paper decimals that I will keep.

Same story as when they went to the steel cored, small coins; after the cutoff date banks not allowed to accept the demonetised currency and it can only be exchanged at the Reserve Bank in Suva.