Large/Huge Banknotes

Inspired by the large Banca d'Italia notes used by Albania back in the late 1930's early 40's in another thread on Numista.
Post your large notes here, the bigger the better.
Here's some large bills I have collected..

Cambodia 1960's



Germany


Greece 1939



Argentina



Hungary



UK 1948

Belgium - P#112 - 1942 - 100 Franc | 20 Belgas (180 x 110 mm)

Bohemia and Moravia - P#11s.1 - 1942 - 500 Kronen (197 x 86 mm)

it's just a specimen and not very tall but it's quite long
Germany - P#44b - 1910 - 1000 Mark (187 x 110 mm)

Germany - P#45b - 1910 - 1000 Mark (187 x 110 mm)

Germany - P#69a - 1920 - 100 Mark (162 x107 mm)

Cambodia - P#17 - ND (1972) - 1000 Riel (185 x 88 mm)

China - P#329 - 1930 (19) - 50 Gold Units (87 x 192 mm)


I recon not many can beat the originals

Awesome topic- if that is our threshold for big, then the Banque de France would like to have a word in!

Presenting, the largest notes in my collection, with some of the other types already posted above for comparison below!:

(also a pair of my trainers for scale!)

Most countries have issued "huge" (at least by modern standards) banknotes in the past; in its day the 1910 German 1000 mark notes were actually fairly standard size! I've included above, notes from Belgium, Tibet, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Hong Kong, Germany, France, French Indochina, Poland, Albania and Italy.

But among them I focus on French and Italian notes in particular; here are the biggest of the big with a regular US $1 dollar note for scale!



When I was in Rome I had a debate with an Italian collector and dealer about whether French or Italian notes from the early 20th century were more attractive.

Quote: "Idolenz"​Belgium - P#112 - 1942 - 100 Franc | 20 Belgas (180 x 110 mm)
​
​Bohemia and Moravia - P#11s.1 - 1942 - 500 Kronen (197 x 86 mm)
​
​it's just a specimen and not very tall but it's quite long
​Germany - P#44b - 1910 - 1000 Mark (187 x 110 mm)
​
​Germany - P#45b - 1910 - 1000 Mark (187 x 110 mm)
​
​Germany - P#69a - 1920 - 100 Mark (162 x107 mm)
​
​Cambodia - P#17 - ND (1972) - 1000 Riel (185 x 88 mm)
​
​China - P#329 - 1930 (19) - 50 Gold Units (87 x 192 mm)
​
​
​I recon not many can beat the originals
​
​

​Some great notes Idolenz, especially love the Belgian ones. Beautiful designs

Quote: "CassTaylor"​Awesome topic- if that is our threshold for big, then the Banque de France would like to have a word in!
​
​Presenting, the largest notes in my collection, with some of the other types already posted above for comparison below!:
​
​(also a pair of my trainers for scale!)
​
​Most countries have issued "huge" (at least by modern standards) banknotes in the past; in its day the 1910 German 1000 mark notes were actually fairly standard size! I've included above, notes from Belgium, Tibet, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Hong Kong, Germany, France, French Indochina, Poland, Albania and Italy.
​
​But among them I focus on French and Italian notes in particular; here are the biggest of the big with a regular US $1 dollar note for scale!
​
​
​
​When I was in Rome I had a debate with an Italian collector and dealer about whether French or Italian notes from the early 20th century were more attractive.
​
​
​

​Great collection of large ones CassTaylor.
Liking the trainers comparison
Can you post a pic of your Tibet note?

3 biggies from Imperial Russia

Sure thing!


Some trivia; the paper that these were made on were produced with some extract from a poisonous root, to prevent spoiling from insects and rats. This note seems almost medieval, but it was made as recently as 1942-59!

And speaking of Imperial Russia, here are my absolutely TITANIC notes (100 and 500 roubles) from 1910 and 1912 (screenshot of my earlier scale photo because I'm too lazy to go get the real notes for a photo ):


The third note above them is from 1917, i was issued by the Provisional Government under Alexander Kerensky (which ruled Russia for a few months in 1917 between the February Revolution and October Revolution).

Brilliant, cheers CassTaylor.
Thanks for the info too, very interesting stuff.
The only Tibetan items I've seen have been food/petrol tokens. There's an abundance of near neighbours Nepal, Bhutan, India notes out there but Tibetan ones have eluded me.
Thanks

Iraq 1980 or 82, a long note


Lebanon 1980's, really like these notes, a lot going on in some of them.


Germany 1919

A few closeups of the French notes I posted earlier; since 1908 French banknotes issued by the Banque de France have been iconic for their mixed colour palettes and their vivid imagery. This, as well as the special paper blend produced at the BdF's paper mills can also be observed on banknotes for French colonies, and of countries that contracted the BdF to print their currency (most CFA Franc countries and ex-colonies).

Even as late as the 1980s French franc notes were still considered the beauty queens of banknote collections, with some more utilitarian French people complaining that the Banque de France was producing art rather than currency. The last series of French notes before the euro is disappointingly bland and colourless by comparison, but here are the glory days of the BdF's designs.


1902 "Bleu et Rose" 100 Francs


1919 "Bleu et Rose" 1000 Francs


1932 "Luc Olivier Merson" 50 Francs



1938 "Bleu et Rose" 500 Francs



1938 "Ceres et Mercure" 1000 Francs



1939 "Ceres" 300 Francs


1942 "Descartes" 100 Francs


1942 "La Paix" 500 Francs



1945 "Union Française" 5000 Francs



1952 "Génie Française" 10000 Francs


1957 "Terre et Mer" 5000 Francs


1956 "Bonaparte" 10000 Francs

This note is the largest (by size) in my collection (for now):
>>> Russia -- 5000 Rubles -- 1919 -- SCWPM #S419d <<<
size : 114mm x 228 mm




Oh, did mention it has a radar serial number: 060

Germany 50,000 Mark 190mm x 110mm


Germany 100 Mark 208mm x 102mm


Russia 50 Roubles 189mm x 118mm


Russia 10,00 Roubles 202mm x 103mm


Libya 10 Dinars 191mm x 94mm

This one right here.
I've seen it at a shop once. It cost about a few hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars. Reasonable considering only 1000 were ever printed.
That thing is 356mm x 216mm. That's bigger than a sheet of A4 paper.
It's accredited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest banknote ever printed.

Quote: "HongKongCoinCollector"​
​This one right here.
​I've seen it at a shop once. It cost about a few hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars. Reasonable considering only 1000 were ever printed.
​That thing is 356mm x 216mm. That's bigger than a sheet of A4 paper.
​It's accredited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest banknote ever printed.

​

That has been overtaken by the 600 Ringgit commemorative note from Malaysia - which is even bigger than that 100,000 Piso note.

Aidan.

Quote: "BCNumismatics"​That has been overtaken by the 600 Ringgit commemorative note from Malaysia - which is even bigger than that 100,000 Piso note.
​
​Aidan.

Interesting. I never knew. The more you know...

This is what it looks like;

http://banknote.ws/COLLECTION/countries/ASI/MLY/MLYW2018-600.htm .

It is also a non-circulating notaphilic product like the 100,000 Piso note.

Aidan.

Top - Nagorno-Karabahk
Middle - Mozambique
Bottom - Iraq

I don't have nay to show now, but remember a nickname for them.

Horseblankets - used to have the two Russian 5 and 10 Ruble notes and a huge German 100 Mark from about 1911 (Became worthless during the Hyperinflation, but I am sure it was not worthless in 1912).

Back when I was a teenager, my dad used to work with an older gentleman whose parents came to the US some time before WWII. When he learned that I collected coins, he said he had some banknotes sitting in a box of old photographs that he inherited and that I could have them for free if I wanted them. There were 7 different notes and the largest one by far was:

Germany P-83a/1, 100,000 Mark from 1923, 190x115 mm

I don't have pictures, but it's this one: https://colnect.com/en/banknotes/banknote/43630-100000_Mark-1923_1st_Issue_-_Reichsbanknote_Republic_Treasury_Notes-Germany

The smallest one I have is a Russian 1917 40 Rubles (the Kerensky issue), measuring mere 62x50 mm.

Some awesome large notes.
The 100,000 piso and 600 Ringitt notes are mammoth.

I like almost all of the notes posted here I wonder how the notes fitted in the tiny purses of the time (1900-1950 era)

Quote: "Worldwide collection"​I like almost all of the notes posted here I wonder how the notes fitted in the tiny purses of the time (1900-1950 era)

​- Although purses & billfolds were larger back in the day, most of the "horse blankets" posted above didn't fit and were thus folded many times. That's why an UNC example of any of the above issued notes is a tough & pricey addition.

"1939 "Ceres" 300 Francs" - that banknote P-87 'CassTaylor' posted was printed in 1938 & 1939 only. They're quite scarce & lists for $2850 USD in UNC (in my 3 YO SCWPM catalogue).

Quote: "Serial_Number_8"​

Quote: "Worldwide collection"​I like almost all of the notes posted here I wonder how the notes fitted in the tiny purses of the time (1900-1950 era)

​​- Although purses & billfolds were larger back in the day, most of the "horse blankets" posted above didn't fit and were thus folded many times. That's why an UNC example of any of the above issued notes is a tough & pricey addition.
​
​"1939 "Ceres" 300 Francs" - that banknote P-87 'CassTaylor' posted was printed in 1938 & 1939 only. They're quite scarce & lists for $2850 USD in UNC (in my 3 YO SCWPM catalogue).
​
​

That’s understandable the only modern large notes I know of is the 1998 Philippines 100,000 pesos note and the 2020 Malaysia 600 Ringgit note.

Malaysia also had a 60 Ringgit note as well as the 600 Ringgit note - which are both non-circulating notaphilic products that were sold way above their face value.

Aidan.

Quote: "BCNumismatics"​Malaysia also had a 60 Ringgit note as well as the 600 Ringgit note - which are both non-circulating notaphilic products that were sold way above their face value.
​
​Aidan.

​The 1987 60 Baht note fromThailand is quite large. Out of respect for King Adulyadej - no one ventured to spend it.

1987 Thailand 60 baht

I have this note: 193x130 mm