K20 — Twenty Kyat
The artwork
Front: A chinthe — the mythical leogryph that guards pagoda stairways across Burma — sits in three-quarter profile, mane and flame-scroll tail rendered in fine engraving. Above, the Burmese legend for the Central Bank of Myanmar runs in a lattice-filled panel; the value "Twenty Kyats" appears in Burmese script across a lotus rosette at centre. Denomination in Western numerals top left, Burmese ၂၀ at the right and lower left. Red serial, prefix BP.
Back: Two scenes in one frame: at the left, the broad stepped terraces and flagstaff-lined walk of a public park, with strollers picked out in miniature; at the right, the tiered elephant fountain of the Yangon zoological gardens, white elephants ranged around both basins with water jetting from the crowning spire. "CENTRAL BANK OF MYANMAR" above, "TWENTY KYATS" on the green band below.
In circulation
Issued from 1994 as part of the Central Bank of Myanmar's chinthe series, which replaced the earlier Union of Burma Bank notes. It remains legal tender, but steady inflation and the arrival of 1,000 and 5,000 kyat notes have pushed the 20 out of everyday use; it survives mainly as small change and temple offerings.
Details
- IssuerCentral Bank of Myanmar
- CurrencyKyat (K)
- DenominationTwenty Kyat
- Collectedon the Burma journey, 2001
- SeriesChinthe series, from 1994
- PrinterSecurity Printing Works, Wazi
- WatermarkChinthe head