Unique characteristics of a bank note is its number. One currency note is different from the other. This number is didived into two parts, a PREFIX, bearing letters (alphabet/s). This prefix have one or two alphabets or admixture of alphatbet and number (sometimes in simple firm or in fraction) and a number with six, seven or eight digits.
In the case of Bangladesh, we encounter two major kinds of prefix, the one, which have alphabets on top and numbers at the bottom, in the form of fraction, is called Fractional Prefix, these can also be sub-divided tnto two parts, the earlier ones have English prefix and the later ones have Bangla prefix. In later yeras, at present the prefix appears only in single or double alphabets and is called Simple Prefix.
In all the cases the prefix and number of Bangladesh currency notes are printed in Black or Greyish-black, except first 100 taka note with A. N. Hamidullah’s signature were printed in red colour from Nasik, India.
When a new currency note is released, then the circulation of the older varieties of notes started to diminish and collectors find it difficult to collect the older ones. For this, the market price of the older varieties started to go up gradually.
First four currency notes, i.e. taka one, five, ten and one hundred, issued ‘on emergency basis’ during the early months of emergence of Bangladesh were printed from Nasik, India have their prefix and numbers printed in English.
The two denominations, i.e. taka ten and one hundred of second series of notes, printed from Bradbury Wilkinson Security Printers have their prefix and numbers printed in English, though the other denominations, taka one, five and ten have prefix and numbers in Bangla.
It may be mentioned here that among these six notes though five notes were demonetized, the taka ten note had not been demonitized officially, though circulation of this note could not be seen in the market.
While observing the prefix and numbers applied in the currency notes of Bangladesh, we find four kinds of characteristics in size. There are four kinds of heights of the prints, these are 4.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 2.5 mm. The print varieties according to thickness, sharp and dull, could also be observed. The varieties of thickness may be due to the flow of ink difference in plates.
Plate 9: Six digit number Plate 10: Seven digit number Plate 11: Eight digit number
(100,000 notes under each prefix) 1,000,000 notes under each prefix) (10,000,000 notes under each prefix
Varieties in print size were due to the number of prefix and digits. Bangladesh currencies were printed in six, swvwn and eight digits. Six digit notes show two varieties of sizes, 2.5 mm and 3.0 mm,. seven digit notes have 3.0 mm and 3.5 mm, where as eight digit notes, only two notes of 50 taka having images of National Mouseleum and 500 taka note having image of Tara Mosque both signed by Governor Khorshed Alam and were put on circulation in 1996 have eight digit number. In the two characters prefix there is a gap between the tow letters. But one or two occassions, such as in 50 Taka note, the two letters of the prefix are joined togather.
It is found out that in the six digit notes 100,000 notes are issued under each prefix, in seven digit notes 1,000,000 notes are issued under each prefix and in eight digit notes 10,000,000 notes are issed under each prefix.
Plate 12: Spaced very commonly used) and joined (rarely used) prefix
The table below shows the Bangla alphabets used in currency notes of Bangladesh corresponding to the English alphabets. The Bangla letter ÔnÕ corresponding to letter ‘Z‘ is used as star serial (used for replacement notes).
K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X _
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
` b o d e g j k l m n
P Q R S T U V W X Y Z star serial
(Replacement notes)
If we study the table, we will find that all the eleven vowels, i.e. A Av B C D E F G H I J and nine consonents Y Z a f h q i and suffix fonts r s t u of Bangla alphabets are not used as prefix.
Though, we find an exception in ten taka polimer note issued in April, 2000, we find A, Av, B, C, D, E prefixes. In the paper varity of the same design (polimer note design) also have A A, A D prefix in specimen notes.
Replacement Notes
Currency notes collectors take special attention about the replacement notes. This type of note deserve special consideration. To understand this one should have a general idea about the printing procedure of the currency notes of the world. In the case of Bangladesh, it is found from a sheet signed by the first Governor A N Hamidullah, that the letter ‘n‘ was planned to use as prefix for STAR Serial or Replacement note. It can be seen from the collection of different currency note collectors that on 30 June 1980,one taka note signed by Finance Secretary Golam Kibria (2nd Term) have ‘n‘ prefix, similarly, in 8 May 1993 one taka note signed by Nasimuddin Ahmed, have ‘L n‘ prefix, in 23 February 1991, two taka note signed by Khorshed Alam, have ‘n‘, in March 1991, two taka note signed by Akbar Ali Khan have Q n, in two taka note signed by Zakir Ahmed Khan have Q n, in five taka note signed by Governor Khorshed Alam have l n, in ten taka note issued on 24 July 1993 have n, in twenty taka note have K n and in fifty taka note have n, during Lutfur Rahman Sarkar, in 100 taka note in March, 1997 have N n, during Farashuddin’s period in fifty taka note issued by 22 August, 1999 have K n and during Fakhruddin Ahmed in ten taka note issued in 2002 have Q n prefix.
Only recently, I had a meeting with an official of Currency Management Department of Bangladesh Bank ans discussed about the replacement procedure that are applied recently. I was told that replacenent procedure is not applied at present. It can be presumed, that due to implementation of own security printing press with modern machinary and srtick management system, the perscentage of damage were minimized and may be the numbering were made after removing errors and damaged notes. So the system of replacement no lomger exhisted in the currency notes of Bangladesh. Though, an in-depth study is needed about the use of the alphabet n in the currencies of Bangladesh as stated above.
Prefixes used in Specimen Notes
Since the introduction of paper currency, there are ‘specimen’ notes in addition to the general notes issued for circulation. These ‘specimen’ notes are introduced for some internal usage and to give gifts to dignitories and other specially selected people. The ‘specimen’ notes are of very limited quantity and each note cotain certain distinctive features. Its number, whether they are of six, seven or eight digits, these all have ‘0’s. So far it was learnt the first ‘specimen’ currency note on British India appeared in 1862.
Since then, almost all the currency notes issued were provided with ‘specimen’ varieties. Among the ‘specimen’s used in currency notes of Bangladesh, there are a few varieties could be noticed, first of all, both the prefix and the number have ‘naught’ (0), notes with English prefix and number, notes with Bangla fraction prefix and number, notes with simple Bangla prefix and number, notes without prefix, but only number. Besides, while imprinting the word ‘specimen’, there are quite a good number of varieties, like, rubber pring, printed from press, there are also some weird designs too.
Fractional Prefix and numbers are ‘0’ Fractional Prefix and numbers are ‘0’ (Bangla)
No prefix, but numbers are ‘0 Double Prefix, Bangla and numbers are ‘0’
Prefix, Bangla Vowel and numbers are ‘0’
Prefix Óm bÓ Prefix Òm cÓ Prefix Òm RÓ