2017-12-08
Bank of Lithuania starts selling online unique sets of LTL 1,000 and two more denomination banknotes
People, who have an interest in Lithuanian money, from next Tuesday, if ordering online, and from Wednesday – at the Bank of Lithuania Cash Offices in Vilnius and Kaunas, will be able to purchase sets of LTL 1,000, LTL 500 and LTL 100 banknotes that have never been in circulation. One set will cost EUR 228 – such price was set based on the average price offered at an electronic auction.
‘The price for the unique numismatic items we are selling has for the first time been set by the market itself. This was done at electronic auctions. These sets of banknotes is an attractive souvenir, as these are the first litas banknotes – they were printed as early as two years before the adoption of the euro, but were never issued into circulation. The LTL 1,000 banknote is the sole banknote featuring Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, an artist and composer,’ said Deivis Stankevičius, Director of the Cash Department.
4,504 exclusive sets of litas bankotes are offered for sale at the Bank of Lithuania Cash Offices and online. They are comprised of LTL 1,000, LTL 500 and LTL 100 banknotes of the 1991 issue. From 12 to 14 December, one buyer will be able to purchase no more than two sets; later on their number will not be subject to limitation.
From 12 December 8:00 these sets will be available for sale via the Bank of Lithuania's pre-ordering system, while from 13 December – at the Bank of Lithuania Cash Offices (Žirmūnų g. 151 in Vilnius or Maironio g. 25 in Kaunas). For customer convenience, on 13 and 14 December the Bank of Lithuania Cash Offices will be open longer than usual: on Wednesday in both Vilnius (Žirmūnų g. 151) and Kaunas (Maironio g. 25) – until 17:00, on Thursday in Vilnius – until 17:00, in Kaunas – until 18:00.
480 sets have been sold at electronic auctions. The winners were, and the sets will be acquired by 64 persons who offered the highest price. A total of 874 persons had registered to 92 auctions.
Warning to beware of fraudsters
All the three banknotes that have never been in circulation have never been legal tender and thus the Bank of Lithuania will never accept and exchange them. Thus, people should not be hooked in by fraudsters who unexpectedly offer acquiring LTL 100, LTL 500 or LTL 1,000 banknotes cheaper and later exchange them at the Bank of Lithuania. The LTL 1,000 banknote has never been in circulation, while the LTL 500 banknote visually differs from that which has been in circulation. Souvenir (non-exchangeable) LTL 100 banknotes that have been in circulation can be recognised from the major differences: 1) the signatures on the banknotes. The souvenir banknote has two signatures, the circulation one – one signature; 2) the year of issue: on the souvenir banknote, the year of issue is 1994, on the circulation one – 1991; 3) the watermark. On the souvenir banknote, a clear watermark, Vytis is visible, on the circulation one it is not available; 4) the security thread. The souvenir banknote has a security thread; the circulation one does not have one.