The issued note shown above has a different security thread than that which appears on the image the bank originally released (see below). It’s possible prefix A and/or B notes are different varieties, or that the original image is a digital creation and doesn’t reflect reality.
Courtesy of Michael Albath.
And this is a “conmemorative” banknote (as it bears the “bicentennial of the Battle of Carabobo” motif in the reverse instead of the repetitive “National Pantheon” motif seen in VES banknotes from 10,000 VES and onwards), but a worthless one as it was worth ~0.50 USD when announced at the BCV (Venezuela’s monetary authority) homepage four months ago. Nowadays, this banknote is worth ~0.30 USD.
This worthless “conmemorative” issue contrasts with the one launched fifty years ago (P-56, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the same battle) with a face value of 500 bolívares (500 VEB), which it was worth ~120 USD at that time (as 1 USD was worth 4.30 VEB).
In the announcement, both the security thread and the font style of the printed serial number were / looked the same as the ones present in the 200000 VES banknote and in the first issue of 10000, 20000 and 50000 VES banknotes, but in the final release (which starts at “C” letter series) both characteristics differ, looking very similar to the ones present in the 500000 VES banknote and in the Goznak-printed second issue of 10000, 20000 and 50000 VES banknotes.
Another fellow Venezuelan (and newish collector) here!
The security thread / serial number fonts look like the Goznak-printed notes because these indeed WERE printed by Goznak too! Just like the VES 500000 note, too. Right now, our banknotes are being printed at only two places:
– Venezuelan Mint (Casa de la Moneda de Venezuela): the initial issue of VES 10000/20000/50000 notes, and the only issue so far of the VES 200000 note were printed there, with small serial numbers and wide 4-window holographic security threads (which according to yet another Bloomberg article, these are on paper substrate provided by Fedigroni). Cash straps for those are plain white, with no markings. BCV’s initial released photo of the VES 1-million note points to an A-series Venezuelan-printed note which has yet to circulate due to unknown reasons.
– Goznak: They provided the bulk of the VES 10000/20000/50000 notes, and are the sole provider of the VES 500000 and 1-million notes so far. Large serial numbers, thin 5-window plain silver security thread. Cash straps on Goznak-printed bills have a small black square, and a printed or stamped production date and (most likely) a batch number, which are unique to them (for example, a B-prefix note freshly withdrawn from a local bank had a production date of February 18, 2021!). In the case of the 1-million note, the security thread also features a demetalized “BCV” text.
And yes, this note (now valued at ~0.25 USD at today’s exchange rates, and going down as we speak!) is the first commemorative banknote issued here since 1987 – the BCV made absolutely no remark on said fact, probably because for most people, it’s only yet another hyperinflationary bill that will go worthless in a matter of weeks…
Forgot to say: the February ’21-produced Goznak note is a B-series VES 500000, the most widely available one right now on banks.
This also is a clear proof that the “CASA DE LA MONEDA – VENEZUELA” imprint on our banknotes has been (mostly) a lie since the initial issue of the Bolivar Fuerte in 2007 (where only the VEF 100 bill was printed by our Mint – everything else came from De La Rue, G+D, and others)