New, smaller 20 kronor note from September 15th

A new 20 kronor banknote is to be put into circulation on September 15th. To avoid the risk of mistaking it for the 100 kronor note, which has been a problem for people with impaired vision, for instance, the new note is smaller than the current version.

The new note measures 120 x 67 mm instead of its predecessor's 130 x 72 mm. A stronger paper has been chosen, together with some minor colour changes, but the motif is the same as before. The current version of the 20 kronor note will continue to be legal tender but it will be withdrawn from circulation as the notes become worn.

The new note will be presented to the press at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 15th, at the Riksbank's head office in Stockholm (7 Malmskillnadsgatan, admission by press card). A brochure and a video film of the printing process will be released concurrently.

The Riksbank also wishes to draw attention to a change in the 100 kronor note. The new version of this denomination has the watermark imprinted in the blank field in a continuous process, which means that the field may contain a part or the whole of more than one watermark. The earlier version has a single, complete watermark. The new version, which has been in circulation since the turn of 1996, is replacing notes of the earlier type as these become worn.

Copies of the brochure about the 20 kronor note can be ordered from the Information Centre: telephone Int. +46 8 787 01 00; fax Int. +46 8 787 05 26.

For further information please apply:
to the Cashiers' Department
Per-Olof Arevik, telephone Int. +46 8 787 04 84
Mats Nilsson, telephone Int. +46 8 787 04 85
to the nearest Riksbank office, or
to Annette Hedman, press officer at Tumba Bruk,
telephone Int. +46 8 530 695 13.