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Total commemorative banknotes issued is under 1,500 pieces. If you have achieved any figures close to this, then you are doing extremely well, as many of the older commemorative notes are hard to find even in poor conditions.

Opinion: Many collectors of commemorative banknotes would have come across with those Somaliland sets overprinted with gold and silver texts with the following wordings - 5th Anniversary of Independence 18 May 1996 [Sanad Gurade 5ee Gobanimadda 18 May 1996]. I believe these are "home made" (or fake) and not authorised by the central bank. My argument is simple. No central bank would have issued an overprint commemorative banknote that the texts are so large that it would cover the two signatures on the note as well as part of the serial numbers. Even if these are genuine notes, then these could be issued as souvenir sheets and not as legal tender. As I said before, this is my opinion. If you have paid top dollars for these, please think about my argument. There is always a sucker around the corner, including me of course!

All comments are most welcome but it has to be subjects related to banknotes or banknotes collection. If not, it will not be approved. Thanks

01 January 2023

...Fiji - $0.88 ND2022 Specimen 恭喜發財 Legal Tender Lucky Money Numismatic Banknote "May Prosperity Be Yours"

  Republic of Fiji
 
Reserve Bank of Fiji
(Established 1983)
Currency - Dollar (FJD)
 
On 04.11.2022, I posted an unusual Fiji non circulating note of $0.88, mainly for collectors. Here I have added the same note but issued it as a specimen note. As mentioned in my previous post, this note was issued on 08.08.2022. Technically, this is not a commemorative note, in my opinion, but more of a numismatic product.

Eighty-Eight Cents
Large hibiscus flower, Coat of Arms
 
Front - The main feature on the front is a large hibiscus flower in a nice red colour. The colour red symbolises as happiness and good fortune. It should be noted that the hibiscus flower is not the National flower of Fiji (The Tagimoucia), and China does not have a national flower at the moment either. It is not sure why the hibiscus flower is chosen on the front as the unofficial flower of China is the Peony flower. To the Chinese, the peonies symbolise prosperity and happiness. The hibiscus is a tropical shrub, and is the national flower of Malaysia, South Korea, Solomon Islands, and Niue. The Haitians have also adopted this unofficially as their national flower too. On the top left-hand corner are the two large digits of 88, representing the face value of the note, and this is repeated on the bottom right corner too. In the center just below the word Fiji, it has the following text printed :- 
 
This Numismatic Note is Legal Tender in Fiji for
EIGHTY EIGHT CENTS
 
This note is also printed with an Optically Variable Ink (OVI) security, which is embossed as the shape of a hibiscus flower, and the colour of the flower changes when the note is tilted. The Fiji Coat of Arms is printed on the top right corner of the note.  
 
Governor - Faizul Ariff Ali (tenure since 11.09.2017)
Watermark - Hibiscus and value 88
Printer - De La Rue (not printed)
Dimensions - 157mm x 77mm
 
Back - On the back is the main image of the smiling God of Wealth (禄) or Tsai Shen Ye or Cai-shen Ye (财神爷), holding a scroll with the following text written on it - 恭喜發財 (wishing you prosperity and wealth/Gōngxǐ fācái). In his right arm is a jade Ruyi. The Ruyi is a talisman symbolising power, and good fortune in Chinese folklore. The God of Wealth is worshiped in the Chinese folk religion, and mostly to those Taoism believers. Below the God of Wealth are piles of Chinese ancient coins, and to his left is a large image of a Chinese coin with the writing of 招財進寳 which mean (or similar) - wishing you success and riches with abundance of precious treasures. A large Chinese Money tree is also printed to the left of the God of Wealth, with coins dropping down. On the Money Tree, the design also incorporated the currency symbols of $, €, £, and ¥ (presumably Chinese Yuan). No doubt this is a modern Money Tree as the ancient one may not have so many international currency symbols. In the bottom right corner, the following test in English are also printed on the note; -

Good luck & good fortune
May prosperity be yours

The logo for the central bank is also printed on the back, just like all other circulating Fijian banknotes.
 
God of Wealth holding a scroll, large Chinese ancient coin

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