Note Printing Australia (NPA) congratulates the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) on winning the International Association of Currency Affairs’ (IACA) 2026 Excellence in Currency Award for Best New Limited Circulation / Commemorative Banknote, announced at the IACA Banknote Conference awards event in Washington, DC.
The award recognises BPNG’s Commemorative 50 Kina banknote, issued to mark 50 years of Papua New Guinea’s Independence and 50 years of the Kina and Toea as the nation’s currency. Introduced into active circulation as part of the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations last year, the banknote was designed to be widely accessible, allowing Papua New Guineans across the country to participate in this historic milestone through everyday use.
The commemorative design balances symbolism with celebration. It retains familiar national anchors, such as the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and the Parliament House while integrating 50th anniversary commemorative logo and unique flora and fauna that reflect Papua New Guinea’s identity, heritage and biodiversity. Together, these elements present a unified narrative of nationhood, resilience and pride.
NPA worked closely with BPNG across the design development, security integration, production and delivery of the commemorative banknote. This collaboration ensured that new commemorative elements were carefully harmonised with BPNG’s established security framework, while maintaining the durability, machine‑readability and functional requirements.
Accepting the award, BPNG Governor Elizabeth Genia highlighted the national significance of the project: “50 Kina commemorative design reflects both our political independence and our economic sovereignty. Issuing the new banknote design was an intentional way to ensure this milestone could be shared widely through everyday use.”
The Governor also acknowledged the long-term partnership and collaboration with NPA on the project. NPA Head of Export Customers Nuwan Kalpage, who represented NPA at the awards ceremony, congratulated BPNG “It was great to see the Bank of Papua New Guinea recognised by the IACA on the global stage. Acknowledgement from industry peers speaks not only to the strength of the design, but to BPNG’s resolve to achieve an outstanding design via close collaboration with NPA. It has been a privilege to work alongside BPNG in delivering a banknote of such national and cultural significance.”
Marking the moment: IACA Executive Director Marci Chavez with BPNG Governor Elizabeth Genia and NPA Head of Export Customers Nuwan Kalpage at the IACA awards in Washington, DC.