Most unpopular country? (Banknote Edition)

Since there is a forum discussion regarding least favorite countries for coins (https://en.numista.com/forum/topic25455.html) why not have a similar thread regarding banknotes?

Just like the coin counterpart, which countries do you find their banknotes uninteresting/undesirable? 

And just like the coin thread, only circulating notes only; no non-circulating or fantasy notes here please.

Edit: So far, the least favorite country for banknotes seems to be the USA.

The USA is pretty bland for the “big name” countries. They're all a uniform green, and same sized. There hasn't been any extreme overhaul since 1928 for most notes. Yes, there's been changes (looks like they've been revised ~1963, ~1996, ~2009 for most values),  but the subject matter is the same.

It's very uninspiring.

Here's the $50

For a near full century to have passed between these two, they're pretty similar.

Like here in the UK, if you went to the bank in 1928 you could get an old style £5 (used since 1870) or the brand new £1.

And if you went to the bank today, here's the £5 (We ditched the £1 decades ago)

And the Bank of England is a very slow moving beast but at least when it changes, it makes a whole new identity for the run. I sometimes find it so terribly dull that we don't update more often. I was quite disappointed we didn't make any changes when Charles took over (other than the obvious portrait changes & cypher).

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The Euro notes are also particularly bland, though I gather that's rather the point as to avoid accusations of favouritism or nationalism. Which I can kind of justify. And at least they have different sizes and are colourful.

I think many more countries are much worse than the UK, although I agree the American notes are dullsville and stuck in 1928 or whenever they were designed. Beware, I will again reach into my own personal preferences, because I actually have an opinion.

My least favourite are 2 types, 1990s ex Soviet/stan notes and Indonesia.

Between 1990 and 1993 when the big communist states like USSR broke up, all the new countries issued banknotes and with the exception of the Baltic states, all were cheap and truly awful notes. Some of the stan notes looked like they were printed on toilet paper and tissue. They all had cheap basic designs that were almost the same from the 50 centniks up to the 100,000 Rubleniks. None were stable and they added zeroes fast. Belarus is a good example, the 50 Kapek (Love all the creative spellings of Kopek and Ruble) looks similar to 100 Rublenik, Rubli, Rubalachim, Rubelskis, Rublekovs, Rub(Add stereotypical ruskie sounding suffixnik), or whatever they were called. Also in the firing line were the Yugoslavian notes that used the late Communist era designs and added more and more zeros.

Then you have the sheets of coupons which were basica to the extreme. Communism was such a dumb system and these countries had no solid metal backing for these worthless tissue paper currencies, due to communism banning gold and silver as it was too bourgeois and not communist enough (You had to be bartering carrots and wearing the same babushka outfit since 1961).

Of course the more stable countries like Estonia, Slovenia, Czechia etc got more well designed notes and more stable currencies after about 1993/94 but places like Tajikistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Serbia and all the more hardcore places remained hilariously awful. Even Russia had funny notes before the 1995 redesigns. They just issued more 1961 USSR notes with more zeros and a bigger Lenin portrait (Even now this communist seems to hold sway in “Democratic” Russia).

Indonesia as all their notes look cheap and horrible (Although the newest series looks a bit more sophisticated, the people on them are ugly and the highest note is worth around $5 US). As a kid the Indonesian notes were everywhere and nearly all worthless with the 100 and 500 Rupiah issued when both were worth a few cents. In the 1960s they issued ultra low value notes and a 1964 series of 1 to 50 sen is now the lowest face value of all time, showing a “coolie - very archaic and racist term for a peasant”. “a peasant girl and a soldier”. Even now these notes have zero value and despite some nice images of mountains and orangs on some notes, they are overall ugly.

I am also not a fan of German inflations (Too many, too plain, too much gothic lettering), Hispanic Inflation - all those notes of 10,000 neuvos pesos crusados etc with some guy with a moustache sombrero and a bandolier on them.

Another country's notes I don't like is India, they all look cheap and nasty and seem to be printed on cheap paper. Although the new series is decent and its good to see the 2000 Rupee note is worth some real money. For a long time they issued yukky 1 and 2 rupee notes (Worth 1.8 and 3.5 cents), that were tiny, usually rumpled and smelly being on ultra cheep paper.

Plus I have never been a fan of notes that show the same guy on all of them (They went through an endless Gandhi phase). Turkey and China are also guilty of a cult of personality design. Then again apart from the colonial Raj era, there's no Indian currency I like. All their coins and notes just look really cheap and basic.

Between 1990 and 1993 when the big communist states like USSR broke up, all the new countries issued banknotes and with the exception of the Baltic states, all were cheap and truly awful notes. Some of the stan notes looked like they were printed on toilet paper and tissue. They all had cheap basic designs that were almost the same from the 50 centniks up to the 100,000 Rubleniks. None were stable and they added zeroes fast. Belarus is a good example, the 50 Kapek (Love all the creative spellings of Kopek and Ruble) looks similar to 100 Rublenik, Rubli, Rubalachim, Rubelskis, Rublekovs, Rub(Add stereotypical ruskie sounding suffixnik), or whatever they were called. Also in the firing line were the Yugoslavian notes that used the late Communist era designs and added more and more zeros.

I agree with @Moneytane but I do like some of the old communist North Vietnam which have these old (sometimes colourful) designs. They were “workhorse notes” too which were circulated so extensively, its hard to find a decent example.  So they're tough (& sometimes rare) in any condition (which always attracts me). I do find that many of Tajikistan's 2000 Somoni currency cool.  

I also like the first Euros with the Duisenberg signature. I know a lot of collectors find these “plane Jane” but again, I find them quite interesting for their hidden features (printer codes in the stars, idiosyncratic security strips, etc), plus many are tough to find in decent condition (& they're only a little older than 20 years!)

At the end of the 20th century I would agree with the US$ notes, basically all having the same colours.
This ended with the introduction of the Euro bank notes. They represent the ultimate lack of artistic inspiration.
Being a Dutch citizen going from using some of the Worlds best designed bank notes to the Worlds worst designed bank notes was a traumatic experience. I should have kept a 50 guilders note. N#204946

I agree, I don't know what it was with you Dutch and your graphic art around 1970. Its all over stamps and notes, with the squares, circles and Helvetica lettering. It all looks like the “Development 1970” style of lettering and shapes. You usually see it on concrete brutalist buildings from like 1971 (British towns like Runcorn and Milton Keynes are full of them).

Tackiest of all Dutch notes, this 1968 monstrosity with lower case Helvetica, spirograph shapes and graphic art to death. This style was considered absolute cutting edge in 1968, cool in 1971, dated by 1976 and hilariously awful by 1994.

Also those 1968 5 and 10 Guilder notes, look like someone was having fun with a Spirograph set too. Helvetica is the lettering on those notes, it became common in the mid to late 60s, but really hit its stride in 1970 and lasted through to the 1980s.

US for sure. Black and white with zero design thought. Will they ever do anything exciting?

Doubt it, those notes were designed in 1928 and America loves to live back in the past. Kidnapping Presidents, deporting anyone not white, gunboat diplomacy, unfettered arrogance and having that thing in charge.

Yes there was some very cosmetic facelifting around 2005 for the $5 and up - but the notes still look like antiques from another era. A 1928 $1 note and one from almost 100 years later, look the same.

Moneytane

Doubt it, those notes were designed in 1928 and America loves to live back in the past. Kidnapping Presidents, deporting anyone not white, gunboat diplomacy, unfettered arrogance and having that thing in charge.

 

Yes there was some very cosmetic facelifting around 2005 for the $5 and up - but the notes still look like antiques from another era. A 1928 $1 note and one from almost 100 years later, look the same.

your comments are both  personal and or political,  and out of line

SueBeeCoins

Moneytane

Doubt it, those notes were designed in 1928 and America loves to live back in the past. Kidnapping Presidents, deporting anyone not white, gunboat diplomacy, unfettered arrogance and having that thing in charge.

 

Yes there was some very cosmetic facelifting around 2005 for the $5 and up - but the notes still look like antiques from another era. A 1928 $1 note and one from almost 100 years later, look the same.

your comments are both  personal and or political,  and out of line

Yeah, your comments sound like you despise America a bit too much. Please tone down your political side; this thread should not get controversial.

This is a website about coins, not China or North Korea censorship levels. I live in a free country, where we can speak our minds.

I did tone it down, there were 2 more controversial versions of this, I decided not to publish and that is ultra sanitised. No rules against being a political animal. Of course I realise that national pride is important. I can actually despise a country's banknotes for reasons other than aesethic appeal.

Please note both members who complained have USA listed as their country, why am I not surprised, automatic defense. Unlike them I can and like criticism of New Zealand.

Moneytane

This is a website about coins, not China or North Korea censorship levels. I live in a free country, where we can speak our minds.

 

I did tone it down, there were 2 more controversial versions of this, I decided not to publish and that is ultra sanitised. No rules against being a political animal. Of course I realise that national pride is important. I can actually despise a country's banknotes for reasons other than aesethic appeal.

 

Please note both members who complained have USA listed as their country, why am I not surprised, automatic defense. Unlike them I can and like criticism of New Zealand.

I also sometimes like to criticize the US at times, such as in government and lifestyle; I simply do not want this thread to end up as a way to thrash the US and its ways, especially during the reign of the recent president. 

Not at all, I love the coins of the USA especially classics like Morgan Dollars and Walking halves. Its just that president makes me and so many people outside the USA angry and for good reason.

Plus as an American, you must agree the notes are pretty plain compared to say Canada or Mexico.

Moneytane

Not at all, I love the coins of the USA especially classics like Morgan Dollars and Walking halves. Its just that president makes me and so many people outside the USA angry and for good reason.

 

Plus as an American, you must agree the notes are pretty plain compared to say Canada or Mexico.

I do agree that American notes are plain in comparison to the neighboring countries’ notes; certainly less colorful.

Current US banknotes are boring.  The …stans do not do anything for me either. I always bypass them at shows.

Indonesia has some beautiful series. The 1959  series of Flowers and Birds are brilliant.  The Sukarno series with Dancers on the reverse are good too. One that stands out for me is the 500 rupiah with the orangutan on it. It is one of my favorites. What other country in the world could put an orangutan on their banknotes. 

I admire the Bulgaria set from 1951 and Lebanon from the 1980's.

My least favourite are  Soviet notes from 1961 and 1991 series, 

the Bulgarian 1962 and 1974 series (printed by USSR on same material and have the same size (I believe). They look almost identical),

and many early series from post-Soviet countries

Moneytane

Tackiest of all Dutch notes, this 1968 monstrosity with lower case Helvetica, spirograph shapes and graphic art to death. This style was considered absolute cutting edge in 1968, cool in 1971, dated by 1976 and hilariously awful by 1994.

…I like these. They did right with the bright colors, I think they were ahead of their time. Of all the modernist designs, I think these looked the best. Too bad the bank won't take them anymore.

Worst countries would certainly be Soviet Union, pre and post split, and Bulgaria as many have mentioned before. Argentine notes have always felt cheap and poorly designed to me. An honorable but probably unpopular choice would be the massive Australian notes from the 60s-90s, too big to fit in a wallet and quite an eye sore.

…I like these. They did right with the bright colors, I think they were ahead of their time. Of all the modernist designs, I think these looked the best

I really like the Dutch designs too. For me, it is not about how vibrant the colour is but more about the design & how they use the colour. I feel they were ahead of their time too (on most of their 1960-80's designs) kind of like recent Swiss series. 

I like notes that are more than 2 tone (in colour) & that is why I dislike our Bank of Canada 2011-2013 first polymer series.  I cannot wait until these disappear.  This was our ugliest $100 & $50 (& no they don't smell like maple syrup). The TWENTY is super ugly swamp green but the back isn't too hard on the eyes due to the red poppies. The 2013 FIVE & TEN had a decent design (if you don't mind 2 tone monotony) but the Commemorative $10 & new vertical TEN have interesting designs & employ colour strategically.  You have to view these polymers in person (scans don't do them justice) as they're the way a note should be designed (IMO).  Personally, I am not a huge fan of polymer (prefer paper b/c colour is reflected better off paper) but some polymer designs really “rock” (partly due to their transparent windows/slick security features) 

Zimbabwe hyperinflation notes are very ugly IMO. I would never buy a 100 Trillion note. But if you go back to their 1997 series (normal denominations, like this 1997 $20), their use of colour is excellent. I really think you have to take it down to the series (that's unpopular). I don't like the cartoonish North Korean currency but if you go back far enough, there's some pretty nice Korean issues (before they split).

But I don't collect based on the wow factor of a banknote's design (I have many other criteria) and I can usually find something redeemable about even the most basic series/banknote designs (like the later issues from Yugoslavia pre-hyperinflation).