10 markkaa 1963 replacement
About This Note
This is a Finnish 10 markkaa banknote from 1963, graded AU (Almost Uncirculated), featuring a portrait of Juho Kusti Paasikivi on the obverse and the Finnish coat of arms on the reverse. The note exhibits exceptional preservation with no visible wear, creases, or stains, displaying the intricate security printing and ornamental patterns characteristic of mid-20th century Finnish currency. The replacement note designation (*) and clean condition make this an attractive example for collectors of Nordic banknotes.
Common. This is a standard circulation issue from 1963 with no indication of a restricted print run or recall. The 10 markkaa denomination from this series remains readily available in the collector market. While the AU grade represents excellent condition, the note itself is not scarce. Finnish banknotes from the 1963 series are regularly encountered in collections and the secondary market at modest valuations.
This 1963 banknote was issued during Finland's post-war period of economic development and increased sovereignty. The portrait of Juho Kusti Paasikivi, Finland's statesman and president, reflects the nation's respect for its political leadership during this formative era. The Finnish coat of arms featuring the lion rampant with crown on the reverse symbolizes national identity and continuity, representing Finland's transition to modernization while maintaining strong connections to its heritage.
The obverse features a formal portrait of Juho Kusti Paasikivi, depicted as a middle-aged man wearing round-framed glasses and formal suit attire, positioned on the left side of the note with a serious, dignified expression. The reverse displays Finland's heraldic coat of arms—a crowned lion rampant within an ornamental shield design—centered prominently with bilateral symmetry. Both sides incorporate elaborate security printing with fine geometric guilloche patterns, intricate mesh latticing, and ornamental borders featuring repeating geometric designs. The note employs a color scheme of green, gray, cream, and pink/red tints, with the fine line work providing sophisticated anti-counterfeiting measures typical of 1960s Finnish currency design.
Front side: 'KYMMENEN MARKKAA' (Ten Marks), 'SUOMEN PANKKI' (Bank of Finland), '10' (denomination), 'Litt. A' (Letter classification), 'AA0928184' (serial number), '1963' (issue year). Back side: 'KYMMENEN MARKKAA' (Ten Marks), 'SUOMEN PANKKI' (Bank of Finland), '10' (denomination), 'FINLANDS BANK' (Bank of Finland in Swedish), 'TIO MARK' (Ten Marks in Swedish). The bilingual inscriptions reflect Finland's Swedish-speaking minority and historical Swedish influence.
This note was produced using intaglio (copperplate) printing, evidenced by the fine line patterns, intricate guilloche designs, and precise geometric mesh work visible throughout both sides. The security features—including the complex ornamental borders and detailed line-work patterns—are characteristic of high-security intaglio printing employed by Finnish currency printers during this period. The replacement note variant likely indicates reprinting of a previously issued design, possibly due to security updates or serial number depletion.
This note is cataloged as P-104* (replacement note), distinguished by the asterisk (*) printed next to the serial number (visible as 'AA0928184*'), indicating it was a replacement for a note with a defective serial number during the original printing run. The Pick catalog notes one variant (P-104a) with vertical wavy line watermark. The 'Litt. A' notation indicates this is a Letter A printing classification, which may denote a specific printing phase within the 1963 issue.
