The Central Bank of Syria have released (2nd July) their latest and, thus far, their highest-denomination banknote in their current series of notes (initially dated 2009 and placed intocirculation in 2010). The 2015-dated note includes an image of the country's current president, Bashar Al-Assad, who assumed the presidency of Syria upon the death of his father, Hafez Al-Assad, in2000. It is the first time that this president appears on circulation currency. Previously, Hafez Al-Assad appeared on a 1997-dated £1,000 banknote, which is currently legal tender despite theissuance of a new version of this note last year, dated 2013.

On the release of the new banknote, Central Bank Governor Duraid Durgham confirmed the £2,000 note was one of several new note denominations printed some time ago, but said that the decision torelease the £2,000-value note into circulation was delayed "due to the circumstances of the on-going war and exchange rate fluctuations."

The face of this note-whose dominant colour is purple with corresponding underprint shades-includes a portrait of Bashar Al-Assad based on his official portrait, which is positioned on the rightside. An image of the front edifice of the Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, is placed in the centre.

The back depicts an image of the internal chamber of the parliament.

To read the complete article, see:
Syrian Arab Republic: New £2,000 banknote denomination released(http://news.coinupdate.com/syrian-arab-republic-new-2000-banknote-denomination-released/)