50 kronur 1981
About This Note
This is an uncirculated 1981 printing of Iceland's 50 Króna note (Pick P-49(2)), featuring a magnificent portrait of Guðbrandur Þorláksson, the 16th-17th century Icelandic bishop and scholar. The note exhibits exceptional crispness with no signs of circulation, pristine paper quality, and beautifully preserved intaglio printing with elaborate decorative borders, fine guilloché patterns, and ornate corner scrollwork in brown, tan, and rose tones. The reverse depicts two craftsmen at a historical workshop or printing press, reflecting Iceland's cultural heritage and printing traditions.
Common. The 50 Króna denomination from Iceland's 1961 law series experienced multiple printings across different decades (1961, 1970s, 1981, and later), with substantial circulation figures. This 1981 printing was produced in typical quantities for a standard circulating denomination of a small European nation. Notes in UNC condition are readily available in the numismatic market, typically trading at modest premiums over face value. The abundance of surviving examples and regular appearance in collections and dealer inventories confirm common status.
This note was issued by Sedlabanki Íslands under the authority of Law No. 10, dated March 29, 1961, but this particular specimen represents a 1981 printing—a reissue of the design during Iceland's post-independence period. The depicted portrait of Guðbrandur Þorláksson (1541-1627) honors Iceland's religious and intellectual history, as he was a significant bishop and cultural figure during the Reformation era. The reverse scene of historical craftsmen at work reflects Iceland's pride in its medieval manuscript tradition and printing heritage, connecting the modern currency to the nation's cultural legacy.
The obverse features a commanding central portrait of Guðbrandur Þorláksson, rendered in fine intaglio with meticulous detail showing his distinctive long white beard, period clothing including a black coat with high white collar and a cap typical of 16th-17th century Icelandic ecclesiastical dress. The portrait is framed by elaborate ornamental borders featuring scrollwork and shell motifs at the corners, with a large '50' denomination numeral prominently placed in the upper left. A circular design element with concentric rings appears on the right side. The reverse depicts two bearded men in historical dress engaged in craftwork at a wooden bench or early printing press, set within an interior workshop environment with visible wooden structural elements. The scene connects to Iceland's printing and manuscript heritage. Both sides are heavily ornamented with fine guilloché patterns, multiple decorative borders, and security engraving typical of mid-20th century Central Bank currency design.
FRONT: '50' (denomination numeral); 'Guðbrandur Þorláksson' (portrait subject name); '1541-1627' (biographical dates); 'Simmtill Krónum' (Fifty Króna); 'SAMKVÆMT LÖGUM NR.10' (According to Law No. 10); '29. MARS 1961' (March 29, 1961 - authorization date); 'David Ólafsson' (signature); 'Jóhannes Nordal' (signature); 'SEDLABANKI ÍSLANDS' (Central Bank of Iceland); 'B01140934' (serial number). BACK: '50' (denomination numeral, appears twice); Background text in Old Norse/Icelandic (specific words not fully legible from visual analysis, likely historical or literary inscription); Ornamental emblem with Celtic-style design elements.
Intaglio (copperplate) engraving combined with letterpress elements, using traditional banknote production methods. The fine line work, detailed crosshatching, guilloché background patterns, and ornate decorative elements are characteristic of high-security intaglio printing. The note displays the hallmarks of professional banknote engraving with multiple layers of fine detail, suggesting production by an established security printer. For Icelandic notes of this era, the printer was likely De La Rue or a similarly specialized European banknote security printer, though the specific printer attribution is not evident from the visual analysis alone.
This is identified as Pick P-49(2), indicating it is the second variety of the 50 Króna note from the 1961 law authorization. The 1981 printing date places it within the later reissuance period of this design. The serial number format 'B01140934' suggests a specific printing batch from the 1981 production run. Known varieties of the P-49 series include different printing dates (1961, 1970s, 1981, later) and different signature combinations (David Ólafsson and Jóhannes Nordal are shown here). Collectors may distinguish between early 1961 printings and later 1981 printings, with earlier dates potentially commanding slight premiums among specialized collectors of Icelandic currency.
