Switzerland picks new bank note designs for 2030s

Swiss National Bank Unveils Winning Bank Note Designs for the 2030s

New Swiss Bank Notes: Design, Denominations, and Public Sentiment

Announcement of the Winning Designers

ZURICH, March 4 (Reuters) - The Swiss National Bank on Wednesday unveiled the winning designers for its next bank note series, which includes one of the world's most valuable denominations: the 1,000 Swiss franc note ($1,281.39).

Upcoming Bank Note Series

Denominations and Circulation Timeline

The 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 franc notes due to enter circulation in the 2030s come despite physical money losing ground to other payment methods such as mobile apps.

Public Attitude Toward Cash

SNB Vice Chairman Antoine Martin said Switzerland still liked bank notes even though their use was declining.

"The Swiss population continues to want to have access to cash," Martin told a press conference.

Design Features and Security

Visual Elements of the New Notes

The winning design features plants on one side of the yellow, red, green, blue, brown and purple notes, with notable landmarks and Swiss cultural touchstones on the reverse side.

Potential Changes Before Release

The final notes, which will boast new security features, may differ from the winning entry, the SNB said.

The Designers' Perspective

Emphase's Achievement

Sebastien Fasel, a partner at Emphase, the winning design firm, said he had dreamed of making a bank note ever since the company was founded 16 years ago. "It was like a distant fantasy, a little out of reach," he said.

Exchange Rate Context

($1 = 0.7804 Swiss francs)

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by John RevillEditing by Dave Graham)