"This is an important milestone in the work to issue new banknotes. The notes being introduced today are the product of highly advanced graphic design that will function as a secure and effective means of payment for many years to come," Governor Øystein Olsen said.

Enhanced security

The public should familiarise themselves with the security features on the new banknotes.

"Security and confidence in cash as a means of payment are the main reasons why we are now launching new banknotes. The general public needs to be confident that a 100-krone note is actually worth its face value. At the same time, the authenticity of the banknotes must be easy to verify," Trond Eklund, the project manager for the new banknote series, said.

The general public should note two new security features. In the lower-left corner of the front side of the new notes there is a ring. When you tilt the banknote in different directions, the ring appears to float and you can see a play of colours. When you tilt the note back and forth, the chain on the right-hand side of the banknote appears to move.

As with previous series, watermarks and security threads are also featured in the new banknote series.

Old banknotes will be withdrawn from circulation

The old 100-krone and 200-krone banknotes will circulate in parallel with the new banknotes for a period and will remain legal tender until 30 May 2018. After this period, Norges Bank is obliged to exchange these notes for at least ten more years.

"We encourage the general public to either spend their old banknotes or deposit them in a bank account well ahead of 30 May 2018," Mr Eklund said.

Motifs inspired by the sea

The motifs on all of the new banknote series denominations show the importance of the sea for the prosperity and welfare of the people of Norway. The primary motif on the front side of the 100-krone banknote is a Viking ship, while on the 200-krone note, a cod is portrayed facing left. On the back sides, abstract representations of a cargo ship (100-krone note) and a fishing boat (200-krone note) can be seen on the horizon.

The banknotes were designed by Norges Bank's banknote designers Arild Yttri and Morten Johansen. The designs on the front sides of the banknotes are based on the proposal from Metric Design and Terje Tønnessen. The proposals for the back of the notes were submitted by Snøhetta Design. The primary motifs were drawn by the artist Sverre Morken. The Atlantic puffin watermark motif is based on a photo taken by photographer Tom Schandy.

The new 100-krone and 200-krone banknotes were printed by Oberthur Fiduciare in France.

Launch in Lofoten

The official launch of the new banknotes will take place in Svolvær on 30 May 2017 at 2.00 p.m. From that time, the new 100- and 200-krone banknotes will be made available to banks at Norges Bank's central bank depots in Tromsø, Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo.

"There are very few places that reflect the primary motifs of the 100-krone and 200-krone bank notes better than Lofoten. Abundant cod from the Lofoten fisheries has sustained people in Norway and abroad for centuries, and Lofoten has a history as a seat of power in the Viking Age. We are therefore delighted that the launch of the new banknotes will be marked in Lofoten," Governor Olsen said.

The 50-krone and 500-krone banknotes in the new banknote series will be issued in autumn 2018, while the 1000-krone banknote will be issued in 2019.