Czechia's highest-denomination banknote gets a 2023 reprint

Czechia’s highest-value banknote, the CZK 5,000 bill, will get a new printing. The Czech National Bank (ČNB) announced today that the new bills, imprinted with the year 2023, have now gone into circulation. Current and older versions of the CZK 5,000 note will remain valid.

ČNB spokesperson Petra Krmelová calls the new banknote upgrade a "necessary change in the printing technology" at the State Printing Office. She said the "differences resulting from new printing technology are not recognizable to the public with the naked eye.” Distinguishing the new notes from older versions, however, is important for monitoring currency circulation and for security reasons such as preventing counterfeit notes.

Aside from the year and signature of ČNB Governor Aleš Michl, the new note looks identical to the 2009 version, featuring the same artistic design. The oldest CZK 5,000 notes from 1999, which have a thinner protective strip, will remain valid.

This is the only type of note that retains the thin line; in recent years, the ČNB has introduced new notes with thicker strips.

The ČNB is currently offering to exchange older CZK 5,000 notes for the 2023 version free of charge. Out of all Czech banknotes, the CZK 5,000 bill has the longest lifespan as fewer people carry or use it daily. 

This is the central bank's second new issue this year, following the release of new CZK 1,000 notes commemorating the bank's 30th anniversary in February.

If you may have any other invalid notes, several of which expired in mid-2022, you may still exchange them at the cash desks of all financial institutions that have cash operations and at all seven ČNB regional offices, the central bank advises.