10 kronur 1981
About This Note
This is an uncirculated example of Iceland's 10 kronur note from 1981 (Pick-48(2)), featuring a striking portrait of Arngrímur Jónsson lærði (1568-1648), the learned Icelandic scholar and clergyman. The note displays excellent condition with sharp printing, vibrant pink/salmon and blue coloring on the obverse, and fine monochromatic blue engraving on the reverse depicting a traditional Icelandic household scene. The note's exceptional state of preservation and historical significance as part of Iceland's mid-20th century currency series make it an appealing acquisition for collectors of Nordic banknotes.
Common. This is a standard circulation issue of Iceland's 10 kronur denomination from the 1961 series, which had a substantial print run to meet the country's monetary demands during the 1960s-1980s. The denomination and timeframe are typical modern banknotes with no known recall, short production window, or extreme scarcity factors. UNC examples are readily available in the collector market and do not command significant premiums.
Issued under Law No. 10 on 29 March 1961 by Sedlabanki Íslands (the Central Bank of Iceland), this note commemorates Arngrímur Jónsson, a pivotal figure in Icelandic intellectual and religious history during the Renaissance period. The reverse design of an old Icelandic household reflects the nation's cultural heritage and connects to the folk traditions that defined Iceland's identity during this post-independence era (Iceland gained sovereignty in 1944). The note's design choices emphasize Iceland's historical continuity and cultural pride during the Cold War period when this currency circulated.
The obverse features a three-quarter length portrait of Arngrímur Jónsson lærði positioned on the right side, depicted as a bearded man in Renaissance-era ecclesiastical dress with a collared garment, holding a book symbolic of his scholarly achievements. The background employs a pink/salmon base color with ornamental blue border patterns and decorative floral/geometric medallions in orange and yellow, creating an elegant frame for the portrait. The denomination 'TIÚ KRONUR' appears prominently in the center with the legal citation and date. The reverse presents a detailed engraved scene of traditional Icelandic domestic life, showing approximately 5-6 figures in historical clothing engaged in household activities, with period vessels, barrels, and furnishings rendered in fine cross-hatching technique characteristic of classical banknote engraving, rendered entirely in tones of dark and light blue.
FRONT: '10' (denomination in numerals); 'A 02160433' (serial number); 'Arngrímur Jónsson lærdi' (Arngrímur Jónsson the learned); '1568-1648' (birth and death years); 'TIÚ KRONUR' (Ten kronur); 'SAMKVÆMT LÖGUM NR.10' (According to law no. 10); '29. MARS 1961' (29 March 1961); 'David Ólafur' (signature); 'Jóhannes Nordal' (signature); 'SEDLABANKI ÍSLANDS' (Central Bank of Iceland). BACK: '10' (denomination numerals in corners, repeated twice).
Intaglio/engraving on steel plates, a security printing method standard for banknote production of this era. The reverse demonstrates sophisticated cross-hatching and fine line work typical of traditional banknote security printing. The obverse combines intaglio with multi-color offset printing to achieve the pink/salmon background and decorative colored elements (orange, yellow, blue borders and medallions). The precision of line work and fine printing patterns visible throughout the note reflect the high-security standards of Icelandic central bank note production circa 1961.
This note is identified as Pick-48(2), representing the second major variety or printing of this design. The serial number 'A 02160433' is visible on this example. The signatures of David Ólafur and Jóhannes Nordal appear as standard for this issue. No overprints or unusual variants are evident from the visual analysis. Collectors may encounter variations in signature combinations and serial number prefixes across different printings of this Pick number.
