Nomination Period for the 2026 Technical Currency Awards NOW OPEN!!!

IACA is inviting all currency industry organizations to NOMINATE their currency projects that may qualify for the 2026 Excellence in Currency/Techical Awards. The finalists will be awarded and the winners announced at the Global Currency Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 27-30 (for 2 categories as seen below) and the  Banknote Conference in Washington, D.C., May 11-14.(for 3 categories as seen below).

Nomination period opened Monday, November 17, 2025 and closes Friday, February 13, 2026.

Eligibility Period:  Please note the time period for which projects must have been completed for eligibility for each category below.

The details of our Award program can be found in our 2026 Award Guidelines and Criteria Document HERE:  https://currencyaffairs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/UPDATED-2026-IACA-Award-Guidelines-and-Criteria-for-Banknote-Awards-1.pdf

IMPORTANT:  All nominations must be submitted through IACA’s Award platform (Awards Force).  The website can be accessed here:  https://currencyaffairs.awardsplatform.com/

CURRENCY AWARDS CATERGORIES AND PROGRAM CRITERIA – 2026

Best New Banknote Feature, Product or Process (to be awarded at the Banknote Conference in May 2026)- Eligibility period: Projects launched between February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2026 

This category may include new security features, changes to substrates, innovation in banknote durability, innovative printing techniques, new printing related machinery, or software that significantly improves the efficiency, effectiveness, safety, environmental protection, and/or resiliency of banknotes or the banknote printing process.

Nominations will be judged on the following criteria:

• How well the feature, product, or process improves the efficiency, effectiveness, safety and/or resiliency of a banknote or printing process

• The innovation and uniqueness of the new feature, product or process
• The potential impact on environmental sustainability
• The quality, relevance and completeness of the submission and supporting materials

Best Limited Circulation/Commemorative Banknote (to be awarded at the Banknote Conference in May 2026)  Eligibility period: Banknotes issued between February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2026

A limited circulation is a banknote that has been issued into circulation to test and evaluate new security feature(s) or elements, such as a substrate or other technical innovation. A limited circulation banknote may also be a Commemorative note designed to celebrate or commemorate a certain event or occasion. The banknote must be legal tender in the country in which it is issued; it must be offered to the public at face value; and it must be limited in circulation (i.e., limited in # issued or time that it is issued).

Nominations will be judged based on the following criteria:

• The innovation and uniqueness of the features and elements of the banknote
• Excellence in Design, i.e., the overall integration of the features in the banknote
• The effectiveness of the tests and evaluation process for the new security feature or element
• How effectively the banknote highlights the event commemorated, if applicable
• The quality, relevance and completeness of the submission and supporting materials

Best New House Note (to be awarded at the Banknote Conference in May 2026 ) Eligibility period: House Notes launched between February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2026 

A house note is one developed to explore and evaluate high security banknote design, engraving, printing, features, characteristics, and innovations. House notes are not issued into circulation and have no monetary value.

We are looking for the best house note that demonstrates outstanding and innovative integration of security features and printing processes while providing overall aesthetic appeal and a creative design theme.

*NOTE:  Nominations will not go through the judging process.  All nominations will go to the vote of the Central Bank IACA membership via Awards Force (IACA’s voting platform) AND be voted on by all the conference delegates at the Banknote Conference.  Results from both will be added together and the winning House note will be announced at the Banknote Conference.

Nominees of House Notes will need to provide IACA with displays for presentation and voting at the Banknote Conference (specifications of these displays will be provided within reasonable amount of time before the conference).

We will ask everyone to vote based on:

• The ingenuity of design theme
• The integration of the security features into the design of the note
• Overall aesthetic appeal
• The quality and completeness of the submission and supporting material

Best New Environmental Sustainability Project (to be awarded at the Global Currency Forum in April 2026)  Eligibility period: Projects launched between February 1, 2023 through January 31, 2026 

This category recognizes projects related to banknote or coin production, services, or distribution that demonstrate:

• improved environmental stewardship
• innovative best practices towards environmental sustainability
• pollution prevention, or
• resource conservation

A nominated project may be a new product, service, process/distribution improvement, including improvement to manufacturing or facilities, that has led to a more environmentally sustainable outcome.

Nominations will be judged on the following criteria:

• The innovative, unique, and/or inventive aspects of the project
• How the project addresses the specific environmental sustainability challenge/problem that the project was developed to improve or solve
• The expected or proven level of impact that the project will have on environmental sustainability, and how this is measured
• How the project fits into the organization’s commitment to environmental sustainability
• The quality and completeness of the submission and supporting material

Nominated projects must have been substantially implemented/completed during the eligibility period and not still be in a developmental phase.

NEW CATEGORY:  Best Cash Cycle Resiliency Project/Program (To be awarded at the Global Currency Forum in April 2026).

No eligibility period–  ALL projects eligible.

Cash cycle resiliency refers to a system’s ability to effectively manage access to cash, assure acceptance in everyday use and provide a safe and secure means of payment in all circumstances including during periods of uncertainty and disruption.  It reflects the strength, adaptability, and inclusivity of the entire cash cycle, ensuring that cash remains available, reliable, and responsive to the needs of all people, including vulnerable groups.

This award honors central bank initiatives that meaningfully enhance that resiliency, whether by improving access, driving operational efficiency, or preparing the cash ecosystem for future challenges.  Cash resiliency projects may include:

• Demonstrating adaptability and preparedness for disruptions, including emergencies
• Driving operational efficiency in cash cycle management
• Supporting inclusivity (for cash use) to ensure all sectors of society are served
• Ensuring universal cash availability and accessibility across all populations and locations

Nominations will be judged on the following criteria:

• The level of Impact the program has had (or is expected to have) on cash resiliency (please describe method of determining the level of impact and provide statistics if applicable and available).
• The scope of user groups who are benefiting from the program. 
• The long-term sustainability of the program and/ or the replicability of the approach
• The ingenuity involved in the creation, development and/or implementation of the program
• The scope of collaboration involved in the creation, development and/or implementation of the program
• The quality and completeness of the submission and supporting materials

NOTE:  IACA will also be hosting the 2026 Coin Awards at the Coin Conference September 28-30.  Nomination period will open in May.  More will be announced soon!