5 Tala
Samoa · Central Bank of Samoa
Released on 18 December 2023 by the Central Bank of Samoa, this red polymer banknote upgrades the earlier cotton-based paper version using De La Rue's SAFEGUARD substrate. The obverse showcases one of Samoa's iconic sandy beaches, highlighting the country's tourism resources, while the reverse features Villa Vailima — now the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum near Apia — reflecting the island's literary and colonial heritage. Six tactile embossed dots on the note assist visually impaired users in identifying the denomination.
Highlights
ReasonUpgrade of the circulating 5 Tala denomination from cotton paper to durable polymer substrate.
DesignSamoan beach scene on the obverse and Villa Vailima, the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, on the reverse.
Security featuresTransparent SAFEGUARD polymer window displaying the teuila flower, GEMINI dual-colour UV feature, BLINK phosphorescent denomination block, and six tactile embossed dots.
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