Banknotes & Coins of Major Currencies

US banknotes are all the same size (156 x 66.3 mm) and predominantly green, earning the nickname "greenbacks." The $1 bill features George Washington and has remained largely unchanged since 1963. The $100 bill, featuring Benjamin Franklin, is the most widely circulated denomination outside the US and includes a blue 3D security ribbon introduced in 2013. The $2 bill, though still printed, is uncommon in circulation and often mistakenly believed to be discontinued. Higher denominations ($500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000) existed historically but were discontinued in 1969 and are now collectors items.

Euro banknotes use a common design across all Eurozone countries, featuring architectural styles from different European periods — Classical on the €5 through modern on the €500. Each denomination has a distinct size and color for easy identification. Euro coins have a common reverse side showing a map of Europe and a national obverse side unique to each issuing country, making them collectible. The €500 note was discontinued from production in 2019 due to concerns about facilitating money laundering, though existing notes remain legal tender. The Europa series (second generation) features enhanced security elements including a hologram portrait of Europa from Greek mythology.

The Bank of England issues polymer (plastic) banknotes that are more durable and harder to counterfeit than paper notes. The £5 (teal, Winston Churchill) and £10 (orange, Jane Austen) switched to polymer in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Following King Charles III's accession in 2022, new banknote designs featuring the King's portrait were introduced in 2024. Scottish and Northern Irish banks also issue their own banknotes that are legal currency (but technically not legal tender) throughout the UK. The £1 coin is a distinctive 12-sided bimetallic design introduced in 2017, considered one of the most secure coins in the world.

Japan introduced completely redesigned banknotes in July 2024 — the first major redesign in 20 years. The new ¥10,000 features Shibusawa Eiichi (father of Japanese capitalism), the ¥5,000 features Tsuda Umeko (pioneer of women's education), and the ¥1,000 features Kitasato Shibasaburo (bacteriologist). The new notes include advanced holographic portraits that appear three-dimensional — a world first for banknotes. The ¥5 coin is notable for its hole in the center, and the ¥500 coin is one of the highest-value coins in regular circulation globally. Japan remains a heavily cash-based society despite technological advancement.

India underwent a dramatic demonetization in November 2016 when Prime Minister Modi invalidated all ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes overnight, replacing them with new ₹500 and ₹2,000 notes. The ₹2,000 note was subsequently withdrawn from circulation in 2023. The Mahatma Gandhi New Series features vibrant colors — pink for ₹2,000, stone grey for ₹500, bright yellow for ₹200, fluorescent blue for ₹50, and chocolate brown for ₹10. All notes feature Mahatma Gandhi's portrait and include text in 17 languages. The recently introduced ₹20 coin is one of the newer additions to Indian coinage.

Swiss banknotes are considered among the most beautiful and secure in the world. The current ninth series, completed in 2019, features an abstract theme of "The many facets of Switzerland" with each denomination representing a different Swiss characteristic — time (CHF 10), light (CHF 20), wind (CHF 50), water (CHF 100), matter (CHF 200), and language (CHF 1,000). They are printed on a unique three-layer polymer substrate. The CHF 1,000 note is the highest-value banknote in regular circulation among major currencies, worth approximately $1,100 USD. Swiss coins are known for their durability — some denominations have remained virtually unchanged in design for over a century.

Canada was one of the first major economies to adopt polymer banknotes (2011-2013), which last 2.5 times longer than cotton-paper notes. The notes feature transparent windows with holographic elements. The $10 note was redesigned in 2018 to feature civil rights activist Viola Desmond, making it the first regularly circulating Canadian banknote to feature a woman other than royalty. The $1 coin (loonie) is named after the loon bird on its reverse, and the $2 coin (toonie) is bimetallic. Canada eliminated the penny in 2013 — cash transactions are rounded to the nearest 5 cents, though pennies remain legal tender. The $1 and $2 bills were discontinued in favor of coins.

Australia pioneered polymer banknotes in 1988 and has been fully polymer since 1996. The technology, developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia and CSIRO, has since been adopted by over 50 countries. Each note features a transparent window — impossible to replicate with photocopiers or printers. The $50 note accounts for nearly half of all Australian banknotes by value in circulation, widely used in the cash economy. Australian $1 and $2 coins are unusual in that the $2 coin is physically smaller than the $1. The 50-cent piece is one of the largest coins in regular circulation globally, with a distinctive dodecagonal (12-sided) shape.

All renminbi banknotes feature the portrait of Mao Zedong on the front and various Chinese landscapes on the back. The ¥100 note (red) is the highest denomination and the most commonly counterfeited, leading to extensive security features including color-shifting ink, watermarks, and microprinting. The fifth series, introduced from 2019 onward, features brighter colors and enhanced anti-counterfeiting technology. China is rapidly moving toward a cashless society, with mobile payments (WeChat Pay, Alipay) dominating urban transactions. The digital yuan (e-CNY) is being rolled out as a central bank digital currency, potentially reducing physical cash usage further.

Mexico has been transitioning to polymer banknotes, with the $20 and $50 notes already in polymer and others planned. Mexican banknotes are known for their vivid colors and celebration of national history and biodiversity. The new $1,000 note features the Mexican Revolution, while the $20 note celebrates Mexican biodiversity with images of ecosystems. The peso uses the same $ symbol as the US dollar, which can cause confusion — in international contexts, MX$ or MXN is used for clarity. Mexico's $20 peso coin is bimetallic with a distinctive octagonal center, and the country issues numerous commemorative coins that circulate alongside regular denominations.

South Korean banknotes feature prominent historical scholars and artists. The ₩50,000 note, introduced in 2009, was the first Korean banknote to feature a woman — Shin Saimdang, a 16th-century artist and calligrapher. Due to the won's relatively low value per unit, the highest denomination (₩50,000) is worth approximately $37 USD. South Korea is one of the most digitally advanced payment ecosystems in the world, with credit card usage among the highest globally. Despite this, cash remains important for small merchants and traditional markets. The Bank of Korea has been exploring a digital won (CBDC) since 2020.

The Brazilian real was introduced in 1994 as part of the Plano Real economic stabilization program that ended decades of hyperinflation. All banknotes feature the effigy of the Republic on the front and Brazilian wildlife on the back — the R$200 note shows the maned wolf, R$100 the grouper fish, R$50 the jaguar, R$20 the golden lion tamarin, R$10 the macaw, R$5 the great egret, and R$2 the hawksbill sea turtle. The R$200 note was controversially introduced in 2020 during the pandemic. Brazilian coins feature the Southern Cross constellation and are minted in distinctive sizes and metals for accessibility.