Tonga National Reserve Bank has found $50 notes this week, prompting a public warning.
The bank has received $50 paánga notes of the new design currency (King Tupou VI series) confirmed to be counterfeit notes.
The Reserve Bank is concerned that there could be more of such $50 counterfeit notes in circulation.
These counterfeit notes lack the following security features present in every genuine $50 pa’anga note:
1. the watermark of the King’s effigy which can be clearly seen when it is held up to the light;
2. a shiny silver thread shows as a window on the front of the note but as a more solid silver on the back of the note, showing images of the national medal.
The public is hereby advised to check all notes particularly the $50 new design note before accepting them. Counterfeit notes carry zero value and will not be accepted by the banks or the Reserve Bank.
The Public is urged to take any counterfeit notes to the National Reserve Bank of Tonga for further examination and further appropriate action. Makers and distributors of counterfeits are breaking Section 59 and 61 of the Criminal Offences Act CAP 18 and Section 29 of the NRBT Amendment Act (2014).
