The Cuban banknote of 5,000 pesos was nominated this Monday for the award "Banknote of the Year 2026" granted by the International Bank Note Society (IBNS), as announced by the Central Bank of Cuba on its official site. The institution described the nomination as a "historic milestone for national numismatics," noting that no Cuban banknote had previously achieved this distinction.
The IBNS is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1961, with members in over 90 countries, regarded as the global reference entity in the field of paper money numismatics. Its Banknote of the Year award has been presented since 2004 and annually recognizes the banknote issued that stands out the most for its artistic merit, design, color usage, and advanced security features.
The banknote features the portrait of Celia Sánchez Manduley, a key figure in the guerrilla movement in the Sierra Maestra, alongside the national flower of Cuba —the butterfly (Hedychium coronarium)— and the logo of the Central Bank on the front. The back showcases the Memorial Celia Sánchez Manduley, located in Lenin Park in Havana. Among its security features are a watermark depicting Celia Sánchez and the electrotype "5000," as well as a holographic thread with a window and the inscription "BCC 5000."
The bill was printed by Goznak, the Russian state company for security documents, measures 150 x 70 millimeters and its predominant color is blue. It entered circulation on April 1, 2026, first in Havana and then gradually throughout the rest of the country, as part of a renewal of the Cuban monetary system that introduced female figures in high-denomination bills for the first time.
Alongside the 5,000 pesos note, on the same day, the 2,000 pesos bill featuring the image of Mariana Grajales Cuello was also put into circulation. Months later, in September, the Central Bank expanded the series with 10,000 and 20,000 pesos notes, featuring portraits of Haydée Santamaría and Vilma Espín, respectively. This issuance was a response to the rapid depreciation of the peso: at the time of launch, the informal exchange rate was around 510 pesos per dollar.
The Cuban bill competes with seven other candidates presented to the IBNS: the 2,000 hryvnias from Ukraine, 200 manats from Turkmenistan, 200 lempiras from Honduras, one rial from Oman, 50 dollars from the Solomon Islands, 1,000 rupees from Nepal, and 2,000 guaraníes from Paraguay, according to the official list of nominations published by the organization.
The Central Bank stated that the nomination "demonstrates that beauty is not at odds with safety and that its appeal transcends borders." Nominations for the award remain open until January 31, 2027; voting among the members of the IBNS will take place in February and the winner will be announced in April of that year.
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