ILS – Israeli New Shekel

Monetary System

01.11.1927: 1 Palestine pound = 1,000 mils
17.08.1948: 1 Palestine pound = 1,000 mils
24.12.1948: 1 Palestine pound = 1,000 prutah
29.06.1952: 1 Israeli pound = 1,000 prutah
01.01.1960: 1 Israeli lira (ILP) = 100 agorot
24.02.1980: 1 Israeli sheqel (ILR) = 100 new agorot
04.09.1985: 1 Israeli new sheqel (ILS) = 100 new agorot

2014 – 2017 Issues

The notes in this new series designed by Ms. Osnat Eshel incorporate advanced security features including microperf, SPARK features, windowed security threads with demetalized elements, electrotype watermarks, microprinting, and holographic stripes. They are of varying sizes and have embossed lines at the right and left to assist the visually impaired to distinguish between the various denominations.

Description: 20.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 129 x 71 mm

Red. Front: Hebrew text; menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; palm trees; poet, Rachel Bluwstein; microprinted poem “Kinneret.” Back: Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; Sea of Galilee shoreline; segment of poem “Perhaps it was nothing…;” menorah. Kinegram Volume holographic stripe. Color-changing windowed security thread with demetalized 20 and portrait of Rachel Bluwstein. Watermark: Rachel Bluwstein and electrotype 20. Printer: (Unknown). 129 x 71 mm. Paper.

Description: 50.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 136 x 71 mm

Green. Front: Hebrew text; menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; citrus trees and fruit; poet, Shaul Tchernichovsky; microprinted poem “Oh, My Land, My Homeland.” Back: Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; capital of Corinthian column; menorah. Kinegram Volume holographic stripe. Color-changing windowed security thread with demetalized 50 and portrait of Shaul Tchernichovsky. Watermark: Shaul Tchernichovsky and electrotype 50. Printer: (Unknown). 136 x 71 mm. Paper.

Description: 100.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 143 x 71 mm

Orange. Front: Hebrew text; menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; almond tree blossoms; Leah Goldberg; microprinted poem “In the land of my love the almond tree blossoms.” Back: Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; gazelles; poem segment, “White days;” menorah. Kinegram Volume holographic stripe. Color-changing windowed security thread with demetalized 100 and portrait of Leah Goldberg. Watermark: Leah Goldberg and electrotype 100. Printer: (Unknown). 143 x 71 mm. Paper.

Description: 200.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 150 x 71 mm

Blue. Front: Hebrew text; menorah as registration device; open book in gold-to-green SPARK; fall leaves; Natan Alterman; microprinted poem “Eternal Meeting.” Back: Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; moonlit tree branches; menorah. Kinegram Volume holographic stripe. Color-changing windowed security thread with demetalized 200 and portrait of Natan Alterman. Watermark: Natan Alterman and electrotype 200. Printer: (Unknown). 150 x 71 mm. Paper.

Outmoded Notes

2008 Issues

This 20-new sheqel denomination is Israel’s first polymer note. The cost of producing a polymer note is said to be 50% more expensive than using paper, but polymer notes are more durable. If the trial run succeeds, the Bank of Israel will consider issuing other denominations in polymer. Older paper notes continued to circulate in parallel and were not withdrawn.

Description: 20.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 138 x 71 mm

Green. Front (vertical): Hebrew text; Moshe Sharett; flag raising at United Nations; text of Sharett speech; Star of David. Back (vertical): Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; Tower and Stockade settlement; Jewish Brigade volunteers during WWII; extract from Sharett’s radio address. No security thread. Watermark: Moshe Sharett. Printer: (Note Printing Australia). 138 x 71 mm. Polymer.

2008 Commemorative Issues

In honor of Israel’s 60th Independence Day celebrations, a limited edition of 1.8 million polymer 20-new sheqel notes were distributed to the public printed on the back with the message (in Hebrew): “Sixty Years to the State of Israel.” The distribution was via ATMs supplying 20-new sheqel notes, serviced by Discount Bank, Mercantile Discount Bank, and Otsar Hahayal Bank.

Description: 20.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 138 x 71 mm

Green. Front (vertical): Hebrew text; Moshe Sharett; flag raising at United Nations; text of Sharett speech; Star of David. Back (vertical): Horizontal red “Sixty Years to the State of Israel” in Hebrew overprint; Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; Tower and Stockade settlement; Jewish Brigade volunteers during WWII; extract from Sharett’s radio address. No security thread. Watermark: Moshe Sharett. Printer: (Note Printing Australia). 138 x 71 mm. Polymer.

1998 – 2014 New Sheqel Series B Issues

In 1999, a new series of notes was introduced to replace the preceding issues, mainly in order to upgrade the security elements. The new notes were designed by Naomi and Meir Eshel, and while they portray the same people as the previous series with background images related to the person depicted on the note, the orientation is now vertical.

Description: 20.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 138 x 71 mm

Green. Front (vertical): Hebrew text; Moshe Sharett; flag raising at United Nations; text of Sharett speech. Back (vertical): Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; Tower and Stockade settlement; Jewish Brigade volunteers during WWII; extract from Sharett’s radio address. Solid security thread. Watermark: Moshe Sharett. Printer: (Unknown). 138 x 71 mm. Paper.

Description: 50.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 138 x 71 mm

Violet. Front (vertical): Hebrew text; Shmuel Yosef Agnon; library books; extract of Nobel Prize acceptance speech. Back (vertical): Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; Jerusalem; Agnon’s writing stand with pen and reading glasses. Solid security thread. Watermark: Shmuel Yosef Agnon. Printer: (Unknown). 138 x 71 mm. Paper.

Description: 100.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 138 x 71 mm

Brown. Front (vertical): Hebrew text; Yitzhak Ben Zvi; interior of Presidential residence; extract of Ben Zvi speech. Back (vertical): Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; Galilee village and synagogue of Peki’in; extract of Ben Zvi speech from second inauguration Solid security thread. Watermark: Yitzhak Ben Zvi. Printer: (Unknown). 138 x 71 mm. Paper.

Description: 200.00 ILS – Israeli Shekel Size: 138 x 71 mm

Red. Front (vertical): Hebrew text; Zalman Shazar; pupils in elementary school classroom; extract of Shazar’s address to Knesset after Compulsory Education Law passed. Back (vertical): Arabic, English, and Hebrew text; Abuhav Synagogue, Safed; alley in Safed; extract of Shazar’s essay (Thy Watchers, O Safed). Solid security thread. Watermark: Zalman Shazar. Printer: (Unknown). 138 x 71 mm. Paper.