The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) has announced an update to the Solomon Islands’ $100 and $50 banknotes, incorporating a new security feature in the form of a stripe. This enhancement is aimed at combating the increasing instances of counterfeiting and will be integrated into the latest reprints of these banknotes.
As per a CBSI press release, this newly embedded micro-optic stripe measures 18 mm and spans the full height of the banknotes. The stripe incorporates several elements including the numerical value of each banknote, the acronym "CBSI", as well as images of a shark and crocodile from the Solomon Islands Coat of Arms. The CBSI stated that this stripe will replace the transparent window previously found on these banknotes. The updated banknotes were made available through commercial banks and CBSI in the last week of December.
In another press release from 2021, CBSI highlighted that counterfeit currency has been on an upward trend in the Solomon Islands. This is despite numerous security features already incorporated into their banknote design to deter counterfeiters and aid both public and businesses in identifying genuine notes. Such features include a woven silver thread line, a dual-image hologram on $50 and $100 notes, a distinctive rough texture, block invisible inks on the surface of notes, and red fluorescent serial numbering.
In relation to this new security stripe, CBSI emphasised its long-standing promotion of its "Check, Look and Feel" process. This process encourages individuals to familiarise themselves with various security features present on banknotes and understand their significance in safeguarding their currency. CBSI refers to this currency as the "silent ambassador for the Solomon Islands."