75th Independence Day banknote
Indonesia celebrated the 75th anniversary of its independence on 17th August 2020. To commemorate the event, Bank Indonesia launched a specially designed Rp. 75,000 (~USD 5.08) banknote that features the country’s founding fathers, Sukarno and Muhammad Hatta.
Independence Day Rupiahs typically pop up every 25 years, so the news definitely reached avid collectors. A week later, the bank is still receiving orders from enthusiastic Indonesians who really want to make the banknote a part of their personal collection.
75 million Rp. 75,000 banknotes for 75 years of independence
Image credit: @gts_gtemsps
There are many ways to mark a national celebration, and releasing a limited-edition banknote is one of them. Bank Indonesia has printed 75 million banknotes to celebrate the country’s 75th anniversary of independence. The front side features the faces of Indonesia’s first presidential duo, Sukarno and Muhammad Hatta, along with an image of the nation’s first flag ceremony.
On the back, there are nine Indonesian women and men donning traditional clothes from different regions that symbolize Indonesia’s cultural diversity.
Image credit: @fajardaud
As reported by The Jakarta Post, Bank Indonesia’s Governor Perry Warjiyo announced that the paper used for the special edition bills is durable, in addition to being equipped with counterfeit prevention features.
To get your own Rp. 75,000 bill, place your order here, and you can then pick it up at the appointed Bank Indonesia branch. The first ordering phase ends on 30th September 2020, and since the demand is very high, you might have to wait for the second phase that begins on 1st October 2020.
A post by a commemorative banknote reseller
Image adapted from: Instagram
Each citizen is only allowed to order one banknote to avoid hoarding. Even with this regulation in place, the bill is already being sold online starting from Rp. 200,000 (~USD13.55) a pop – more than twice its original value.
Independence Day Rupiah series in the past
The 75,000 Rupiah bill isn’t the first Independence Day design, as our nation’s 25th and 50th anniversaries also had their own special series.
Rp. 250 coin for the nation’s 25th anniversary
Image adapted from: Bank Indonesia
For the 25th anniversary, Bank Indonesia released a series of 9 coins worth Rp. 200 to Rp. 25,000. The Rp. 200 coin features a statue of Manjusyri, which is located in Malang.
Rp. 300,000 for Indonesia’s 50th birthday commemoration
Image adapted from: Bank Indonesia
The bank then released coins worth Rp. 300,000 and Rp. 850,000 for the 50th commemoration of independence. All the Independence Day edition coins bear the Garuda, an eagle-like creature rooted in Hindu mythology, which is also our national emblem.
Compared to previous designs, this year’s shift to the banknote format is a change. Nevertheless, they all aim to embody the Indonesian spirit.
Finding the spirit to get through COVID-19
Hopefully, our national spirit of unity in diversity goes beyond the themes of these commemorative banknotes. Indonesia, as well as many countries around the world, is still struggling with COVID-19 along with its consequences. We can only wish for a better future for Indonesia for many years to come.
Also read:
- Magelang hosted a exes’ photo staring contest
- High school student “rescued” national flag
- We The Fest 2020 to be held online
Cover image adapted from: @gts_gtemsps and @fajardaud
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