Top
header Notes Collection

100 Kronur 1967, Iceland

in Krause book Number: 44
Years of issue: 1967 - 1971
Edition: --
Signatures: David Olafsson, Johannes Nordal, 1967- 1986
Serie: 29 March 1961 Issue
Specimen of: 1961
Material: Cotton fiber
Size (mm): 150 х 70
Printer: Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company Limited, New Malden

* All pictures marked magnify are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.

** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.

100 Kronur 1967

Description

Watermark:

watermark

Sveinn Björnsson (27 February 1881 - 25 January 1952), son of Björn Jónsson (editor and later minister) and Elísabet Sveinsdóttir, was the first President of the Republic of Iceland (1944-1952).

He became a member of Reykjavík town council in 1912 and was its president during 1918-1920.

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, he was a member of the Althing in 1914-1916 and 1920, and after Iceland's independence from Denmark in 1918 he acted as minister to Denmark during 1920-1924 and 1926-1940.

Although Iceland had become a sovereign state in 1918, its foreign affairs had been conducted by Denmark until the beginning of World War II. The German occupation of Denmark after May 1940, however, resulted in Iceland's autonomy and Sveinn was elected Regent of Iceland three times during 1941-43, assuming all the prerogatives in Icelandic affairs previously held by the Icelandic king, Christian X, who was also King of and resided in Nazi occupied Denmark. In July 1941, United States troops entered Iceland on the invitation of Sveinn's government and remained, in reduced numbers, after the war; their continued presence provoked the main controversy of the nation's postwar foreign policy.

He was elected president by the Althing on the inauguration of the Republic of Iceland in 1944. His first term was only one year, since the people of Iceland were to elect their president directly for the first time in 1945. However, Sveinn was unopposed in 1945 and 1949. He died in Reykjavík in January 1952, more than one year before his third term of office was due to expire and is the only president to die in office.

Sveinn was one of the founders of Eimskipafélag Íslands, the main shipping company in Iceland, in 1914 and its chairman 1914-1920 and 1924-1926. He was the founder of the insurance company Brunabótafélag Íslands and its director from its foundation in 1916 until 1920. He was also one of the founders of the insurance company Sjóvátryggingafélag Íslands in 1918 and its chairman in 1918-1920 and 1924-1926. Sveinn was one of the founders of the Icelandic Red Cross on 10 December 1924 and its first chairman, serving until 1926.

Avers:

100 Kronur 1967

Tryggvi Gunnarsson

The engraving on banknote is made after this photo of Tryggvi Gunnarsson. The date of photo is unknown.

Tryggvi Gunnarsson (18 October 1835 in the Laufás Þingeyjarsýsla - Oct. 21, 1917) was an Icelandic Senator and Governor of Landsbanki Islands since 1893 till 1909. The street Tryggvagata in downtown is named after him. In the Parliament House courtyard is a statue in memory of Tryggvi.

Holar i Hjaltadal

The view on Holar i Hjaltadal. That is the small community in the Skagafjörður region, in northern Iceland. It is a place of birth of Tryggvi Gunnarsson. The church is on foreground. The building of University college is at background.

Denominations in numerals are in top and lower left corners, also in top right corner. Centered in words.

Revers:

100 Kronur 1967

Image of grazing Icelandic sheep near the volcano Hekla. Nearby are the shepherds on Icelandic horses.

íslenska sauðkindin

The Icelandic sheep (Icelandic: íslenska sauðkindin) is a breed of domestic sheep. The Icelandic breed is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep, which exhibit a fluke-shaped, naturally short tail. The Icelandic is a mid-sized breed, generally short-legged and stocky, with face and legs free of wool. The fleece of the Icelandic sheep is dual-coated and comes in white as well as a variety of other colors, including a range of browns, grays, and blacks. They exist in both horned and polled strains. Generally left unshorn for the winter, the breed is very cold-hardy. Multiple births are very common in Icelandic ewes, with a lambing percentage of 175% - 220%. A gene also exists in the breed called the Þoka gene, and ewes carrying it have been known to give birth to triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, and even sextuplets on occasion.

Ewes can be mated as lambs as early as five to seven months, although many farmers wait until the ewe's second winter before allowing them to breed. They are seasonal breeders and come into estrus around October. The breeding season can last up to four months. Rams become mature early and can start breeding as early as five months.

Descended from the same stock as the Norwegian Spelsau, brought to Iceland by the first settlers, Icelandic sheep have been bred for a thousand years in a very harsh environment. Consequently, they are quite efficient herbivores.

Íslenski hesturinn

The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse developed in Iceland. Although the horses are small, at times pony-sized, most registries for the Icelandic refer to it as a horse. Icelandic horses are long-lived and hardy. In their native country they have few diseases; Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and exported animals are not allowed to return. The Icelandic displays two gaits in addition to the typical walk, trot, and canter/gallop commonly displayed by other breeds. The only breed of horse in Iceland, they are also popular internationally, and sizable populations exist in Europe and North America. The breed is still used for traditional shepherding work in its native country, as well as for leisure, showing, and racing.

Developed from ponies taken to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, the breed is mentioned in literature and historical records throughout Icelandic history; the first reference to a named horse appears in the XII century. Horses were venerated in Norse mythology, a custom brought to Iceland by the country's earliest settlers. Selective breeding over the centuries has developed the breed into its current form. Natural selection has also played a role, as the harsh Icelandic climate eliminated many horses through cold and starvation. In the 1780s, much of the breed was wiped out in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption at Laki. The first breed society for the Icelandic horse was created in Iceland in 1904, and today the breed is represented by organizations in 19 different nations, organized under a parent association, the International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations.

Hekla sheepsHekla is a stratovolcano in the south of Iceland with a height of 1,491 meters (4,892 ft.). Hekla is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes; over 20 eruptions have occurred in and around the volcano since 874. During the Middle Ages, Europeans called the volcano the "Gateway to Hell".

In lower left corner is the seal of Landsbanki Islands.

coat iceland

It was used coat of arms of Iceland as seal of Bank.

The coat of arms of Iceland displays a silver-edged, red cross on blue shield (blazoned: Azure, on a cross argent a cross gules). This alludes to the design of the flag of Iceland. The supporters are the four protectors of Iceland (landvættir) standing on a pahoehoe lava block. The bull (Griðungur) is the protector of southwestern Iceland, the eagle or griffin (Gammur) protects northwestern Iceland, the dragon (Dreki) protects the northeastern part, and the rock-giant (Bergrisi) is the protector of southeastern Iceland. Great respect was given to these creatures of Iceland, so much that there was a law during the time of the Vikings that no ship should bear grimacing symbols (most often dragonheads on the bow of the ship) when approaching Iceland. This was so the protectors would not be provoked unnecessarily

Denominations in numerals are in three corners.

Comments:

Designer: Halldór Pétursson (1916-1977).

Metallic security strip placed vertically, left from the center.

article

An article in an Icelandic newspaper, dated November 14, 1982, about a series of banknotes and coins.