If you’ve been lucky enough to bugger off globetrotting around the world, you probably have a few foreign coins and notes saved somewhere to show off when the situation arises.

“Why, this note? I got it in Nicaragua during a five-month journey to find myself, you see.”

Some currencies are just prettier than others – such is life – and an organisation called the International Bank Note Society [IBNS] is all about honouring the best of the bunch

Bloomberg call their award the “the Oscars Of Paper Currency”, with members dishing out the prestigious “Bank Note of the Year” since 2005.

You could wander the world and catch ’em all, but there is an easier way to get your hands on foreign currency.

So who is in the running to take home the 2017 title? Let’s take a look – I’ve left out the £5 just because:

Switzerland – 50 Swiss franc
Those whimsical Swiss are embarking on a series featuring “the many facets of Switzerland.” Faces are out; objects, places, and characteristics are in. This one depicts wind.

Australia – 5 dollar
Australia’s new note displays a novel top-to-bottom window feature, which is as much about anticounterfeiting as aesthetics. Rounding it out, the Queen of England shares top billing with the eastern spinebill and examples of the “prickly Moses” wattle, a type of tree.

New Zealand – 50 dollar
The Kiwis’ NZ$5 note was the “clear winner” in 2015, the IBNS said, with a map inset in a “gorgeous polymer window” and a “color-changing yellow-eyed penguin.” The NZ$50, part of the same family, features Sir Āpirana Ngata, a prominent Maori politician.

Scotland – 5 pound
Scotland mints bills that are accepted widely across the U.K. After a series of polls and focus groups, the country chose the theme “the fabric of nature” for its new £5 and £10 notes.

Georgia – 50 lari
On the front is Queen Tamar, who ruled the country from 1184 to 1213, a period known as the “Georgian Golden Age.” The note has a holographic stripe and a magenta-to-green security thread.

Maldives – 1,000 rufiyaa
Its theme is “the beauty in our surrounding.” The primary side depicts a whale shark, with an underprint that gives shading to its skin; on the obverse is a green turtle.

I’m a sucker for turtles, so for me it’s Maldives all the way.

Keen to get your hand on some foreign bank notes, but don’t feel like getting a kick in the teeth every time you change money? Speak to the team at Currencies Direct, who make transferring your money abroad simple – whether online, using their app, or speaking to an account manager.

They’ll also take the time to understand your business needs, thereby reducing your transfer costs – whether you’re looking for simple payments or longer-term hedging support.

Or, you know, maybe you’re one of those changing your rands to Ozzie Dollars and heading to Perth…

[source:bloomberg]