Fenntucky Mike

Turn over at the executive/legislative level always seems to be high, whether due to term limits, scandal or forced retirement and the NBU is no exception. On July 16, 2020 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine confirmed Kyrylo Shevchenko's appointment as Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, replacing Yakiv Smoliy. The process is much the same as it is here in the States, the President taps someone on the shoulder, they are grilled before a committee and then a vote to confirm. The previous Governor of the NBU was an old regime appointee and, according to him, was forced to resign. Since the establishment of an Independent Ukrainian government in 1991 there have been 12 sitting Governors averaging a whopping 2.5 years per term. Although, the average term length for the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury is only slightly longer at 2.9 years but it has been more stable in recent decades. At any rate the appointment of a new Governor means the same thing to Ukrainian note collectors as a new Secretary of the Treasury means to U.S. note collectors.... A new signature. With a new signature comes a new Pick # (TBD) and another note to collect! Although the change happened last summer I had not been expecting a new note right away, especially with the final new series note just being released earlier in the year (2019, 200 Hryven was released in February 2020) and several being released at the tail end of 2019. Ukrainians were sitting on a nice pile of newly designed/freshly printed notes, then COVID hits and cash usage plummets, to be honest I'm slightly surprised that a new run of notes is being printed so soon considering the circumstances. At any rate, I'll take it. Drum roll please, the first note issued with the new signature of the current sitting Governor is, the 500 Hryven note! This makes sense since it was a high denomination, with a low number printed and was one of the first notes released, (February of 2019, dated 2018) along with the 20 Hryven note. So far I have only seen the new notes with prefix EA, the NBU BPMW (Banknote Printing and Minting Works) is not as transparent as the BEP, so it is tough to come up with run/block numbers and totals printed. While we're on the subject of a new signature/notes and also Pick #'s, the # for this note has yet to be determined and although I'm calling this a new series note but the design has been used since 2015, starting with Pick # 127a. The previous series (2006 - 2015) 500 Hryven notes were Pick #'s 124a - d, with the last printing in early 2015 prior to Pick # 127a being printed and released later that year. Pick #124d, the last note of that series. Ended early 2015. Pick # 127a, the first note of the new series. Began late 2015. In 2018 the same series note was printed with a new signature. At the time I acquired this note the Pick # was Unlisted and to the best of my knowledge is still Unlisted 3 years later. Which means we'll have a second note of this series/denomination with an unlisted Pick #. If I was to use common sense, I would guess that the 2018 note would eventually become #127b and the 2021 note #127c but some of the new Pick #'s being assigned to the new series notes have been kind of screwy and the registry slots aren't making sense to me yet with separate slots available, in the 1917 - Date Issued Notes Complete set, for the Pick #127a and the UNL (2018) 500 Hryven note. This is most likely due to the delays with Pick #'s, so I'm just going to wait it out for now until they are assigned for the two newest notes of this series. I feel like I've walked a thousand miles for this note, havering the whole way.

+8 = 2,152

Thank You my friend. Any press is good press, as they say, and the write up was very gracious.

In late 2019 the NBU announced that it was reviving it's annual "Banknotes and Coins of Ukraine" catalog. They followed that announcement with the free release of the catalog for the years 2015 - 2019 in .pdf format, 2014 being the last year the catalog was released prior to 2019. Now here we are, 2020, and the NBU has remained true to their word, releasing the 2020 catalog just a few days ago. They had some big releases in their commemorative coin line up but the banknote issues/releases were relatively quiet in 2020 beyond the issue of a souvenir note commemorating Ukraine's first astronaut. The only new issue was the 200 Hryven banknote from the latest series of notes, way back on February 25. The catalog is free to download in English language and is again in .pdf format. Check it out. https://bank.gov.ua/en/news/all/banknoti-i-moneti-ukrayini-2020-rik I'll save those of you the suspense of downloading the entire catalog just for the banknote section, here it is.

Moving past the you/you'll lyric debate, , and now having grabbed all the low hanging fruit of Ukrainian banknotes, I'm realizing that further progress will be slow in the acquisition department. In my Ukrainian 1917-Date set I have 37 slots left to fill, out of 112, two of those empty slots (Picks 50 & 125) are $1,000 + notes in any grade so I don't really consider them required for completion. Another two slots (Picks 87A & 87B) were never printed/issued, other than proofs and specimens, so I don't see those as required for the set either. Not to mention I have never even seen either one of those two notes available, anywhere, ever. Just to be clear I'm not advocating for the removal of those slots, they should absolutely stay. If anything I'd like to see a few more slots added and more sets added to the Ukrainian registry but that's a topic for another day. So, that leaves me with 33 slots that I would consider required to complete the set and I'm thinking I'd be very lucky to fill 6 of them with purchases of already graded notes this year. In true obsessive collector fashion I've been scouring the depths of the internet for graded notes/sellers and have found a few new potential sources/opportunities, one an old acquaintance from Ebay, we'll see what comes of these new found sources if anything. More to come later if I do end up getting anything, got to keep all buying activity on the hush hush for now , the bidding on Ukrainian notes has been very active. In the meantime I've been scratching the collecting bug itch by purchasing a few random notes here and there, along with contemplating a few signature set ideas. I haven't decided to focus on another area yet, mainly just floating along and picking up pieces that I like. I'll probably knuckle down and start updating the descriptions of my Ukrainian notes along with more in depth research, I have a lot of material to go through, but I will also continue to pick up ungraded examples of notes I don't have for a future submission. A submission that will probably wrap up most of my Ukrainian sets but that is probably a year or more away. For now I'm happy to be adrift for a little bit, enjoying my notes, researching, writing descriptions and realizing I'll just have to wait. Here's an ungraded specimen I picked up awhile ago. Printed by TDLR Just pulled the trigger on this one today, these are the sellers pics. Printed by ISBF

Very nice, hadn't seen a note yet with solid 0's that wasn't a specimen. Cool.

LOL, are there any Nicaraguan fancy #'s left? All good stuff my friend, keep them coming.

Like that #, 2020 forward and back

+10 = 2,144

It is interesting, not sure I can really extract anything from it other than it's a little more consistent than I though it would be. I was expecting more of a 55, 0, 0, 0, 43 type cadence. I was thinking of tracking the individual notes graded by denomination but the PMG population report doesn't fit on my desktop screen. IDK, I just wanted to print the screen, save it and post it in this thread but when it didn't fit on the screen.... That was enough to stop me. For now anyway.

+16 = 2,134

No problemo! It's amazing how much thought/design goes into these notes. It's a pretty fun little gadget and a whole new level of cool. Good luck, I have all my stuff delivered to work, nobody suspects a thing. Shhhhhh

+6 = 2,118

Another Radar

Like the psychedelic colors.

+127 = 2,112 Massive jump in population this week!

In part to help enhance a Journal entry I'm currently working on, also to "level up" my current banknote skills and what the heck because it's fun and cool I've added a new contraption to my banknote collecting arsenal, an IR Camera. I've been reading up on Infrared, lights, wavelengths, and cameras for a few weeks now along with researching the IR ink features on banknotes. I was considering constructing my own Infrared station for banknotes but since I had a bunch of Rewards Points through Amazon I figured I'd try this out first. The Royal Sovereign Dual Band Infrared Camera! On sale and Available now from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Sovereign-Infrared-Counterfeit-RCD-4000D/dp/B00S1IKHEC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Royal+Sovereign+Dual+Band+Infrared+Camera+Counterfeit+Detector+(RCD-4000D)&qid=1616956248&sr=8-1 It's nothing special and very lightly made, as most things are today but what do you want for under $35. The only negative would be the size, it would be nice if it was bigger and/or had a taller pedestal so you could view the whole note for imaging purposes. Other than that it's been working great. Dual Band, I'm assuming this means it emits IR on both the 850nm and 940nm wavelengths but in true guy fashion I opened everything up, removed the parts, threw all the packaging out including instructions and then put it together. I'll never outgrow this instinct. At any rate for modern note collector's equipment such as this is invaluable, one for counterfeits and two to enjoy notes on a whole new level if you want. The first thing that gravitates me towards a note is the design/artistic appeal, then history of the design or subject, security features and finally the economics. So now armed with my books, loupe, UV and IR lights I'm feeling pretty well prepared for now and think I need to simmer down for a few days. But I still want to build my own desk, area or whatever it turns out to be for banknotes that includes bigger/better UV and IR light stations and I might as well work photography in there while I'm at it. More to come... Here are a few examples (images) of banknotes placed under UV and IR lighting and scanned. All three of which will display security features on modern notes. 2020, Zimbabwe $20 Scan UV Light IR Light 2005, Ukraine 100 UAH Scan UV Light IR Light Ok, there goes my day. Pfft, whom am I kidding, there goes my week. I'll be busy using this thing for a while.

The International Journal of Central Banking, often referred to as Central Banking, a well respected global publication for policymakers and researchers in the field of monetary policy has announced the winners for the 2021 Central Banking Awards. An annual event recognizing "excellence in a community facing difficult monetary policy and financial stability challenges that will need to be tackled and effectively communicated, while prudently embracing technological change in reserves, financial services, payments, currency management and data." That's a mouth full. The awards are presented yearly and currently consist of 29 awards in two categories, Market Practitioner Awards & Central Bank Awards, the awards range from Governor of the year, Central Bank of the year to Green Initiative, Transparency & Website of the year. The Central Banking Awards began in 2014 with the inaugural event. It's an interesting publication and one worth checking out if you have the time and are interested in such things, here's a link to the 2021 awards article. https://www.centralbanking.com/awards/7815281/central-banking-awards-2021-winners-in-full#cxrecs_s FYI, The FED won Central Bank of the year. Drumroll please. May I have the envelope, this year's winner for Best Currency Manager.... Oh geez, can't open it [zip].... The National Bank of Ukraine! For having taken decisive steps to upgraded it's series of banknotes. Here to accept the award on the NBU's behalf, Viktor Zaivenko, director of the NBU's Cash Circulation Department. "Over the last few years, the National Bank of Ukraine has put a lot of effort into the large-scale optimization of Ukrainian currency notes and coins. Having researched the best global practices, we started to implement gradual and systemic changes aimed at improvement of the cash cycle." It may not have happened exactly like that. In 2014, after being allowed to float to meet IMF requirements the Hryvnia dropped from .12 to below .04 on the dollar, and remains at that level today, prompting an evaluation of the monetary system in place. After exhaustive study a decision was made and plan put into motion. In 2018 the NBU began implementing the currency reform initiative when the 1 & 2 Hryvnia coins were introduced into circulation and banknotes of the same denomination began to be withdrawn, the process culminated in October of last year, 2020, when all 25 Kopiika coins were withdrawn from circulation and all banknotes printed prior to 2003 ceased to be legal tender. Reducing the number of denominations from 16 to 12 and making the 1st & 2nd series Hryvnia notes obsolete. If you care to read more here is a link to the 2021 Currency Manager Award article, https://www.centralbanking.com/awards/7744481/currency-manager-national-bank-of-ukraine and here is a link to the NBU's response to winning the award. https://bank.gov.ua/en/news/all/natsionalniy-bank-otrimav-nagorodu-central-banking-awards-za-osuchasnennya-natsionalnoyi-valyuti And since I hate having a Journal entry without at least one image of a banknote here you go, bye bye 1st & 2nd series and 1, 2, 5 & 10 Hryvnia banknotes. RIP

Not a note but I still love it!

+11 = 1,985

Got this radar back in change yesterday, he's a little tired so I'll probably just let him rest up in one of my albums for awhile. Let's see yours.