National Bank of Kazakhstan—Commemorative 1000 tenge banknote (80th Anniversary of the Great Victory)

National Bank of Kazakhstan, The Banknote Factory of the National Bank of Kazakhstan

On May 9, 2025, a commemorative 1000 tenge banknote was issued to mark the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. The Great Victory Day is a significant event in world history. The banknote reflects respect for the heroism of the defenders of the country and the significance of Kazakhstan’s contribution to the common victory.

It not only honors courage, resilience and unity, but reflects on the enduring memory of those who shaped the nation’s future through their sacrifice.

Beyond its commemorative purpose, the banknote serves as a platform for technological innovation. It introduces advanced security features and substrate durability, including a micro-optical security stripe that enhances protection against counterfeiting through dynamic visual effects. In addition, the soil-resistant substrate significantly improves the note’s durability, ensuring increased longevity in circulation.

By combining historical tribute with cutting-edge technology, the 1000 tenge banknote stands as both a symbol of remembrance and a testament to national progress. It reflects a commitment to preserving heritage while advancing the standards of security, sustainability and design excellence in modern currency.

The commemorative 1000 tenge banknote distinguishes itself through the innovative integration of advanced security technology and meaningful symbolic design.

Its most remarkable feature is the micro-optical security strip. When the viewing angle changes, the strip produces a striking three-dimensional effect of depth, volume, and radiance. This dynamic optical technology creates the illusion of movement: the eternal flame appears to flicker, while cranes seem to glide across the surface. Beyond its strong anti-counterfeiting function, the strip carries deep symbolic meaning. The eternal flame represents remembrance and honor, while soaring cranes elicit hope and celebrate the beauty of life.

Another important innovation is the banknote’s durable, 100% cotton soil-resistant substrate with. This advanced material significantly improves the durability of the banknote in circulation. Its surfaces are protected from dirt and wear. Testing conducted by the National Bank has shown that the substrate may increase the service life of the banknote by resisting “contamination,” by up to four times that of standard banknote papers.

Together, these features reflect a modern and forward-looking approach that is useful to informing the future of the production of the nation’s circulating banknotes. By combining cutting-edge optical technology with enhanced material durability and meaningful imagery, the 1000 tenge banknote demonstrates a unique balance of security, sustainability and artistic public engagement.

The design strategy of the commemorative 1000 tenge banknote was based on a clear and structured approach. From the beginning, its national designer set out to create a banknote dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, and introduce modern technologies and test new production solutions as part of this remembrance.

Integration was a key principle of the banknote’s design strategy to maximize the beauty and function of the banknote’s 130 mm x 70 mm dimensions. Security features were planned as integral parts of the overall design from the earliest stages of creation. The micro-optical security strip was especially developed to serve both as a strong anti-counterfeiting element and as an important visual embodiment of the commemoration’s two pillars reflection of sacrifice and celebration of peace. A number of iterations that tested subjects, colors and secure movement and three-dimensional visual effects were evaluated via digital animations and physical prototypes before the stripe design was finalized. The final result is a feature with dynamic effects deliver both remembrance and hope, and an extremely high level of protection against counterfeiting.

Material selection was also part of the overall strategy. Eight different substrates were tested to identify the most durable and practical option. The testing process simulated real circulation conditions, including centrifuge cycles (81 revolutions), processing through a high-speed cash counting machine, with brightness measurements taken before and after testing. The soil-resistant substrate showed the best performance in terms of resistance to contamination and wear.

Overall, the strategy focused on combining design, security, and durability in one coordinated system. This approach ensured both commemorative value and long-term performance in circulation.

The commemorative 1000 tenge banknote was used as a testing platform to evaluate the performance of a new soil-resistant substrate under simulated circulation conditions. The objective of the testing program was to assess resistance to contamination, mechanical wear and overall durability before large-scale implementation.

Eight different substrates were initially selected for the evaluation. Four substrates passed the preliminary stage and were subjected to further testing. The testing plan included controlled laboratory simulations designed to reflect real-life handling and circulation stress.

Two tests were conducted to analyze the resistance to contamination. Borrowing from such influential testing protocols as pioneered by the printing works of the Bank of Thailand and Banco de México, to name just two, a standardized contaminating mixture was prepared, consisting of 0.3 g of olive oil, 0.3 g of sunflower oil, 0.3 g of ethanol, 0.2 g of clay, and 0.15 ml of water. This mixture was applied to the banknote samples to simulate common contaminants usually present on banknotes in everyday circulation.

The first testing methodology included one cycle in a centrifuge (81 revolutions per cycle) combined with one cycle in a cash counting machine (CCM). The second methodology involved continuous processing in both the centrifuge and the cash counting machine until the samples reached a worn condition (below 92% quality threshold). In addition, mechanical stress was simulated using 25 mm rubber balls (32 pieces).

Before and after testing, the brightness of the paper substrate was measured using a spectrophotometer to objectively assess contamination impact and material degradation.

The results demonstrated that only the soil-resistant substrate maintained stable performance under continuous stress and contamination exposure, confirming its effectiveness and suitability for circulation.

Throughout history, certain dates become powerful symbols of unity, remembrance, and gratitude. May 9 is one of those significant days for the global community. Kazakhstan made a significant contribution to the Victory. Almost 1.2 million people were mobilized from the republic, nearly 20% of the total population at that time. The Kazakh compatriots heroically fought in infantry, tank units, aviation and naval engagements. In honor of heroism and courage of these patriots, the National Bank issued a commemorative banknote of the national currency, as a symbol of national memory and pride. The front side of the banknote features The Memorial of Glory located in the park named after 28 Panfilov Guardsmen – a tribute to the heroes who gave their lives for their homeland. The back side depicts the Order of the Patriotic War as a symbol of courage, fortitude and bravery of soldiers over a map of Kazakhstan.

This commemorative banknote not only reflects an important historical event but also preserves the memory of bravery for future generations.