Members of the International Bank Note Society’s (IBNS) had choose Uganda’s 50,000-shilling banknote as a "Banknote of 2010". Thirteen banknote has been nominate on the IBNS web site (www.theIBNS.org) since mid February. On 9th April 2011, Bank of Uganda 50000 Shilling was announced as the winner. Printed by British security printers De La Rue, the note was designed in co-operation with the Bank of Uganda. The banknote is the highest denomination in a series of six notes introduced in May 2010.
Some of the winning elements of the notes include the watermark of the head of a crested crane, an outline of a map of Uganda (highlighting the equator), the profile of man wearing Karimojong head dress, patterns based on indigenous basket work and, at the far right on the back, the Independence Monument. Erected to celebrate Ugandan independence in October 1962, the statue is of a woman wrapped in bonds lifting a child above her head, celebrating the birth of the nation.
On the front of the award-winning note the ‘Stride Monument’ is at the left, the Bwindi tropical rain forest is illustrated at the centre left, a foil strip with the denomination and images of shields at centre right and an area for the watermark at the far right. The Stride Monument was erected to celebrate the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Kampala in 2007. Depicting a husband, wife and son stepping forward, the monument symbolizes the countries of the Commonwealth progressing as a family. The reverse of the note is dominated by illustrations of silver back mountain gorillas.
Source: IBNS.org
