Genuine $50 pa'anga note with arrows showing position of watermark and security thread.

Counterfeit $50 and $10 pa'anga notes found in Tonga lack watermarks and security threads, the National Reserve Bank of Tonga warns.

 “The Reserve Bank is concerned that there could be more of such $50 and $10 counterfeit notes circulating around,” the bank said in a statement on Monday. They warned the public to check all notes, “particularly the $50 pa'anga notes before accepting them. Counterfeit notes carry zero value and will not be accepted by the banks.”

However, the Reserve Bank would like to see any counterfeit notes found by the public.

The counterfeit notes lacked the following security features present in the genuine pa'anga notes:

1. the water mark of HM King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV on the old designed notes;
2. the water mark of HM King George Tupou V on the new designed notes;
3. a security thread embedded in the note.

When genuine bank notes are held up to the light, and the watermark can be clearly seen. For example, HM King Tupou V is visible with a bright watermark “NRBT”.

A 2.0mm thread featuring the letters “NRBT” is visible as silver dashes on the fronts of the $10, $20 and $50 denominations. When a banknote is tilted the colour of the thread changes from red to green and when it is held up to the light the thread is seen as a continuous line.

Genuine $10 pa'anga note.

The Reserve Bank has issued pamphlet outlining security features on a genuine pa’anga note to assist members of the public in identifying genuine pa’anga notes and counterfeits. Pamphlets can also be downloaded from the Reserve Bank website on www.reservebank.to [2]

It is a criminal offence to counterfeit bank notes.