# Identify the Banknote **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 24, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966 "2007-07-24T15:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/1 "2007-07-24T15:17:12Z")
I am looking at graphics file. It is of a young Eurasian-looking lady. She has critical parts of her anatomy covered with brand new, crisp banknotes. Each one has Queen Elizabeth’s portrait, the new older version in black. Each one is marked $250000 in violet ink. It has the British style “pound sign” in lieu of the dollar sign I used. OK, so new notes, 250,000 pounds. Liz’s picture. Rhodesia? Old Hong Kong? No, no link. I know, this thread is useless without photos. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/2 "2007-07-24T15:21:54Z")
Zimbabwe? Malta? Ireland? :: tries to think of countries that a) have been Commonwealth Realms for even a short while, b) used the pound symbol, and c) went through a bout of hyperinflation. :: Are there any currencies that are not pounds that use the pound symbol? ISTR that Lira is abbreviated with the pound symbol as well. Edot: were they even real banknotes? There have been novelty million-dollar bills made in Canada with the Queen’s picture, but they were never legal tender. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/3 "2007-07-24T15:23:50Z")
Put they would lack the ERII logo and the Queen’s modern portrait. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/4 "2007-07-24T15:26:09Z")
It sounds to me like they’re going to be faux notes, created specifically to look like money, but in silly denominations so as not to fall foul of any counterfeiting laws. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/5 "2007-07-24T15:27:40Z")
Well the UK has a history of some darn strict counter-counterfitting laws. But they look real to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/6 "2007-07-24T15:29:01Z")
Sure, but what use would be a quarter-of-a-million pound note? Where could you spend it? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/7 "2007-07-24T15:56:11Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Sure, but what use would be a quarter-of-a-million pound note? Where could you spend it? [/QUOTE] You’d need more than one to buy a house these days… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/8 "2007-07-24T23:16:21Z")
Sure, but not many people pay actual physical cash for that and if they did, I don’t think they’d just flip open their wallet and peel out a couple of notes. If the notes have the Queen’s head on them and have a denomination of 250K, prefixed by a £ sign, then I don’t see how they can be geniune. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/9 "2007-07-24T23:30:40Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] I am looking at graphics file. It is of a young Eurasian-looking lady. She has critical parts of her anatomy covered with brand new, crisp banknotes. [/QUOTE] Given the context I agree that it sounds like fake notes. Some sort of fashion statement? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/10 "2007-07-25T01:59:57Z")
OK, who needs to see the file? I can send it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/11 "2007-07-25T03:22:54Z")
No luck identifying them. In fact, the only banknotes I could find that had a 250,000 denomination were a 1922 Azerbaijani [250,000 ruble](http://www.rustypennies.com/catalog/pix/21318_VF.jpg) note, a 1994 Georgian [250,000 lari](http://www.banknotes.com/GE50.JPG) note, a 1923 Polish [250,000](http://aes.iupui.edu/rwise/banknotes/poland/PolandP35-250000Marek-1923-donatedbd_f.jpg) [marek](http://aes.iupui.edu/rwise/banknotes/poland/PolandP35-250000Marek-1923-donatedbd_b.jpg) note, a 1923 Russian [250,000](http://aes.iupui.edu/rwise/banknotes/russia/RussiaPS618a-250000Rubles-1923-donatedoy_f.jpg) [ruble](http://aes.iupui.edu/rwise/banknotes/russia/RussiaPS618a-250000Rubles-1923-donatedoy_b.jpg) note, and a 1998 Turkish [250,000 lira](http://www.banknotes.com/TR211.JPG) note. And unless you’ve confused Kemal Ataturk for Elizabeth II, none of these are it. Go ahead and email me the picture though. I can always appreciate the Eurasian lady if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/12 "2007-07-25T04:37:35Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] OK, who needs to see the file? I can send it. [/QUOTE] If I can see it, I can pretty well answer your question. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/13 "2007-07-25T05:04:48Z")
::: Raises hand::: Please shoot me a copy. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/14 "2007-07-25T09:49:20Z")
Sent to **SamClem** , but not to **Rick** , who does not have an email in his profile. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/15 "2007-07-25T09:59:48Z")
I’ll take a look too, if you like… ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/16 "2007-07-25T12:17:49Z")
Boy! Thos sure are some BIG…er, uh, …numbers. Yeah, numbers. 🙂 A quick glance seems like it’s a regular British 20 Pound note, but had the larger figures photoshopped on(perhaps) for the purpost of the the ad. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/17 "2007-07-25T12:49:16Z")
Is it possible to post a cropped section of the image somewhere, showing the monetary assets only? - I’m happy to do this if someone can send me a copy of the image. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/18 "2007-07-25T12:52:20Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] they look real to me. [/QUOTE] The banknotes or the “critical parts of her anatomy”? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/19 "2007-07-25T14:30:32Z")
I wouldn’t mind seeing the pic as well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966/20 "2007-07-25T16:39:47Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Sent to **SamClem** , but not to **Rick** , who does not have an email in his profile. [/QUOTE] Better look again, it is there. (I just checked!) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-banknote/412966.md?page=2)