ISK – Iceland Krona
Monetary System
1874: Icelandic króna (ISJ)
01.01.1981: 1 Icelandic króna (ISK) = 100 aurar
Central Bank of Iceland
Seðlabanki Íslands
Seðlabanki Íslands (Icelandic: Central Bank of Iceland, SI) has been responsible for the issue of all official currency in Iceland, both banknotes and coinage, at first by a special agreement with the Ministry of Finance in 1966, and then under the Currency Act of 1968. Prior to that, Seðlabanki Íslands was responsible only for issuing banknotes, while coinage was under the auspices of the treasury.
From 1961 to 2009, there were three governors serving at a time, each for an open-ended term, some spanning decades. As such, the signature combinations are organized chronologically in order of introduction. In the following table, the signatures in the left column correspond to the signature on the left of notes B801 – B806, and the topmost signature on notes B807 onward. From 2009, only one governor served at a time, so modern notes have only a single signature.
For more information, visit www.sedlabanki.is.
2001 (2003 – 2013) Issues
These notes are like preceding issues, but with full-bleed designs at top and bottom, windowed security threads, and geometric foil patches on the 1,000- and 5,000-króna notes. The 10,000-króna note was a late addition to the family necessitated by the collapse of the value of the currency following a financial crisis.
Description: 500.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 145 x 70 mm
Red. Front: Icelandic text; Jón Sigurðsson. Back: Icelandic text; books, inkwell, Jón Sigurðsson with pen, and gas lamp on desk; Lærði skólinn (Learned School) in Reykjavík. Windowed security thread with demetalized 500KR. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson and Cornerstones. Printer: (De La Rue). 145 x 70 mm. Paper.
Description: 1,000.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 150 x 70 mm
Purple and orange. Front: Icelandic text; Lutheran Bishop of Skálholt, Brynjólfur Sveinsson, reading book. Back: Icelandic text; Brynjólfskirkja church in Skálholt; Madonna and child on gold ring owned by Brynjólfur Sveinsson. Windowed security thread with demetalized 1000KR. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson and Cornerstones. Printer: (De La Rue). 150 x 70 mm. Paper.
Description: 5,000.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 155 x 70 mm
Blue and green. Front: Icelandic text; Ragnheiđur Jónsdóttir in hat and ruffled collar; Bishop Gísli Þorláksson and two previous wives (Gróu Þorleifsdóttur and Ingibjörgu Benediktsdóttur); background of altar cloth from church at Laufás. Back: Icelandic text; two girls examining embroidery; Ragnheiđur Jónsdóttir seated with book; embroidered R; background of altar cloth from church at Laufás. Windowed security thread with demetalized 5000KR. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson and electrotype 5000. Printer: (De La Rue). 155 x 70 mm. Paper.
Description: 10,000.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 162 x 70 mm
Blue. Front: Icelandic text; poet, Icelandic scholar, essayist, and naturalist, Jónas Hallgrímsson; outlines of mountains Háafjall and Hraundrangi formed from Icelandic words coined by Jónas; floral pattern from cover of periodical “Fjölnir;” Jónas’ handwritten poem “Ferðalok” (Journey’s End); topographical outline of mountain Skjaldbreiður. Back: Icelandic text; Golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) birds; Jónas’ pencil drawing of mountain Skjaldbreiður; topographical outline of mountain Skjaldbreiður; Jónas’ handwritten poem “Fjallið Skjaldbreiður;” scallop shell. 18-mm wide Optiks security thread. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson, electrotype 10000, and Cornerstones. Printer: (De La Rue). 162 x 70 mm. Paper.
1961 – 2001 (1981 – 1995) Issues
On 29 May 1979, the Icelandic parliament passed a law resulting in a 100-fold increase in the value of the króna on 1 January 1981. Old notes remained legal tender until 30 June 1981, and were demonetized on 31 December 1982. The intaglio dots and bars in the upper left quadrant of the front are symbols used by the sight-impaired to distinguish the denominations. These notes, and all subsequent issues through 2015, were designed by Kristín Þorkelsdóttir.
The 10-króna note was replaced by a coin in 1984, and the 50-króna note was replaced by a coin in 1987.
Description: 500.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 145 x 70 mm
Red. Front: Icelandic text; Jón Sigurðsson. Back: Icelandic text; books, inkwell, Jón Sigurðsson with pen, and gas lamp on desk; Lærði skólinn (Learned School) in Reykjavík. Solid security thread. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson. Printer: (Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company and De La Rue). 145 x 70 mm. Paper.
Description: 1,000.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 150 x 70 mm
Purple and orange. Front: Icelandic text; Lutheran Bishop of Skálholt, Brynjólfur Sveinsson, reading book. Back: Icelandic text; Brynjólfskirkja church in Skálholt; Madonna and child on gold ring owned by Brynjólfur Sveinsson. Solid security thread. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson. Printer: (Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company and De La Rue). 150 x 70 mm. Paper.
Description: 2,000.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 150 x 70 mm
Green, brown, blue, yellow, and red. Front: Icelandic text; Inside, Outside painting; painter Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval in hat. Back: Icelandic text; paintings Yearning for Flight(Leda and the Swan) and Woman with Flower. Solid security thread. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson. Printer: (De La Rue). 150 x 70 mm. Paper.
Description: 5,000.00 ISK – Iceland Krona Size: 155 x 70 mm
Blue and green. Front: Icelandic text; Ragnheiđur Jónsdóttir in hat and ruffled collar; Bishop Gísli Þorláksson and two previous wives (Gróu Þorleifsdóttur and Ingibjörgu Benediktsdóttur); background of altar cloth from church at Laufás. Back: Icelandic text; two girls examining embroidery; Ragnheiđur Jónsdóttir seated with book; embroidered R; background of altar cloth from church at Laufás. Solid security thread. Watermark: Jón Sigurðsson. Printer: (Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company and De La Rue). 155 x 70 mm. Paper.
Museum
The Central Bank and National Museum of Iceland exhibition room opened on 6 December 1986.
