The new Canadian $10 banknote won International Bank Note Society's Banknote of the Year award for 2018. Swiss notes had won this award for two consecutive years before this. A 200-franc note from Switzerland featuring a raised hand on the obverse came second. Out of over 150 new notes that were issued last year, only 10 percent of them were considered new enough for nomination.

Polymer notes have been winning this award since the last five years now. Canada started issuing polymer notes in 2011. The purple-coloured note which won the competition has a vertical design, which is the first of its kind in Canada’s history. Revised notes bearing the next four denominations will also follow this vertical format.

Printed by the Canadian Bank Note Co, the obverse side of the note depicts a portrait of Viola Desmond (1914-1965) who fought for social justice and racial equality. She had refused to change her seat in a movie theatre, just because of her race, and was later arrested for this daring act. She is also the first Canadian woman to appear on a circulating note. The reverse side shows the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The runner ups for the award were Norway’s 500-krone note featuring a rescue ship, Russia’s 100-ruble note celebrating World Cup soccer, and the Solomon Islands $40 with a man blowing a conch shell. A Canadian note had won the first place in 2004’s inaugural competition of IBNS. Canadian notes came second in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and third last year.

Image Courtesy: IBNS