New Zealand’s $5 note has won the prestigious Banknote of the Year award. The note, which is actually printed in Canada, is an orange-brown colour with mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary on the front and a penguin on the back. The International Bank Note Society (IBNS), a group of currency enthusiasts who hand out the prize, said it was a “clear winner” for the 2015 contest. The fiver beat banknotes from 20 other countries which were also released in 2015.

The $5 was one of a set of new banknotes issued by New Zealand in 2015, with enhanced security features and reflecting New Zealand’s history and culture. Also in the running for the prize, voted for by IBNS members, Sweden’s 20 krona, Russia’s 100 rouble, the 20,000 tenge note from Kazakhstan and the £5 banknote issued by Scotland’s Clydesdale Bank.

About International Bank Note Society

• The International Bank Note Society was founded in 1961.
•  It operates as a non-profit educational organization.
•  Its objectives are to promote, stimulate and advance the study and knowledge of worldwide banknotes and paper currencies.
• The winner of the Bank Note of the Year Award for 2014 was the 50 Dollar polymer Trinidad and Tobago note.
• Nominations are now open for Banknote of the Year 2016; the Maldives’ 1,000 rufiyaa note, Switzerland’s 50 franc note, Scotland’s 5 pound note and New Zealand’s 50 dollar note are already in the running.