...Solomon Islands - $5 ND2019 Polymer Note

Solomon Islands

Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI)

This is the latest $5 polymer note first announced by CBSI on 10.04.2019 at the Currency Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The theme for this new note is creating a sustainable and responsible and responsible fishing industry to provide long-term economic security for the country, as well as the importance of community and social cohesion. This note was released on 02.05.2019 in conjunction with the United Nations World Tuna Day. This World Tuna day was established by the UN to raise awareness about the importance of tuna and to promote more sustainable fishing practices and was first observed in 2017.

Solomon Islands current series of banknotes started in 2013 when the first $50 Hybrid note was issued and then followed by the $100 note in 2015, which is also a Hybrid note. In 2017, it released the $10 and $20 paper based notes. Up to now all notes, including the $40 polymer commemorative note issued in 2018 were printed by De La Rue, traditionally, the main printing partner of the Solomon Islands.

This new polymer note is the last of the banknote series and is printed by NPA. This is indeed a big win for NPA and is also the second time that NPA has won this right to print banknotes for Solomon Islands. The first time was the 2001 $2 commemorative polymer note celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands. I believe that since 2012/2013 the CBSI has ceased issuing the $2 notes.

Despite this note being printed by NPA, CBSI maintains it's traditional numbering system by having the first prefix as A/1 instead of NPA style of AA19 (alphabet & year format). The only time they did that was the $2 polymer ND2001, which was printed with the first prefix of AA01 and not A/1.
 
This is the third polymer banknote issued and Solomon Islands is one of the few nations that have current circulating banknotes printed on polymer ($5), paper ($10 & $20) and hybrid ($50 & $100) materials.

Designs
Front: yellowfin tuna facing a traditional fishing hook signaling the importance of sustainability. Both features are printed on a see-through feature, Coat of Arms of Solomon Islands in the middle;
Back: a traditional spearfishing scene by a group of people which highlights the need to preserve and promote community activity. This spearfishing scene on the back is the same design on the back of the last $2 paper banknote.

The current series of Solomon Islands notes all depict scenes of local traditional daily life, natural wildlife (SB$50), things that are culturally important to the islanders with each note pertaining to a particular theme on the back of the note.

Signatures
Governor - Denton Hehenoro Rarawa
Secretary, Ministry of Finance - Harry Kuma

Five Dollars

nd2019, people spearfishing in group, yellow-fin tuna fish 

Reverse - arms

Note:
The first prefix for this new note is A/1. As this new $5 polymer note is printed by NPA, it is unlikely any replacement notes have been printed. NPA has the habit of not printing polymer replacement notes, thus hunting for the last prefix note is more interesting than looking for those more recognisable prefixes of say X/1 or ZZ etc. This is also the only denomination in the current series that does not have replacement prefixes printed.

I have also posted this note in my Commemorative banknotes site to celebrate the United Nations World Tuna Day.

Issue price SI$75 without banknote.
Folder Front Cover