{"product_id":"iceland-p-39-25-kronur-1957-vf-very-fine-landsbanki-islands-sedlabankinn-version","title":"Iceland P-39 25 Kronur 1957 VF Very Fine \"Landsbanki Íslands - Seðlabankinn\" version","description":"\u003cp\u003eA purple gem from the edge of the world — Iceland's 1957 25 Krónur note pairs one of the country's great Enlightenment figures with a view of one of its most dramatic landscapes, printed by one of Britain's most celebrated security printers. Issued in 1960 and demonetized in 1975, this note captures Iceland at the precise moment it was transitioning from a remote fishing nation into a modern republic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePortrait:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Magn%C3%BAs_Stephensen\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMagnús Stephensen\u003c\/a\u003e (1762–1833), Iceland's first Chief Justice and a central figure of the Icelandic Enlightenment, in vignette at left\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e view of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%8Dsafj%C3%B6r%C3%B0ur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eÍsafjörður\u003c\/a\u003e, the principal town of the Westfjords — one of Iceland's most remote and dramatically situated communities, nestled between steep fjord walls and the sea\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnderprint:\u003c\/strong\u003e multicoloured guilloche underprint beneath purple dominant engraving\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eLANDSBANKI ÍSLANDS–SEÐLABANKINN \/ TUTTUGU OG FIMM KRÓNUR \/ SAMKVÆMT LÖGUM NR. 63. 21. JÚNÍ 1957\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=Vilhj%C3%A1lmur+%C3%9E%C3%B3r+Landsbanki\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eVilhjálmur Þór\u003c\/a\u003e (VÞ) and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/J%C3%B3n_G._Mar%C3%ADasson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJón G. Maríasson\u003c\/a\u003e (JGM)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/strong\u003e Halldór Pétursson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e panoramic view of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Westman_Islands\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eVestmannaeyjar\u003c\/a\u003e (Westman Islands), the volcanic archipelago off Iceland's south coast — just thirteen years after this note was issued, the eruption of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eldfell\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEldfell\u003c\/a\u003e volcano in 1973 would force the evacuation of the entire island population overnight\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e25 \/ VESTMANNAEYJAR\u003c\/em\u003e in purple print\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/strong\u003e Halldór Pétursson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eP-39a — signatures VÞ, JGM — this note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eP-39s — Specimen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-39a; SIEG SD#45; Numista N#216476\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e portrait of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sveinn_Bj%C3%B6rnsson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSveinn Björnsson\u003c\/a\u003e, the first President of Iceland (1944–1952)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 140 × 70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Central_Bank_of_Iceland\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLandsbanki Íslands – Seðlabankinn\u003c\/a\u003e (National Bank of Iceland – Central Bank)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bradbury,_Wilkinson_and_Company\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBradbury Wilkinson and Company\u003c\/a\u003e, United Kingdom (1856–1990)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4 May 1960 (under law of 21 June 1957)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e14 May 1975\u003c\/a\u003e (withdrawn by law of 2 February 1973)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_kr%C3%B3na\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eOld Icelandic Króna\u003c\/a\u003e (1885–1980)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Named by the Norse settler \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hrafna-Fl%C3%B3ki_Vilger%C3%B0arson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson\u003c\/a\u003e around 865 AD, who, after a harsh winter, climbed a mountain and saw a fjord full of sea ice — and called the land \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e (Ice Land). The name stuck, despite Iceland being far greener than Greenland.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Reykjav%C3%ADk\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/a\u003e — city population ~140,000; metro ~230,000\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e means \"Smoky Bay\" in Old Norse — named by the first permanent settler, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ing%C3%B3lfr_Arnarson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIngólfr Arnarson\u003c\/a\u003e, around 874 AD, for the steam rising from the geothermal hot springs he saw on arrival\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — roughly the city of Minneapolis\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — slightly larger than Kentucky; smaller than Iceland's neighbor Greenland by a factor of 21\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (IMF 2024) — one of the highest in the world\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e fish and seafood, aluminum, ferrosilicon, tourism services, pharmaceuticals\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e None — Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic, with no land borders\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic — one of the most conservative Germanic languages, still mutually intelligible with Old Norse texts from the 13th century\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~85%, descended from Norse settlers and Irish\/Scottish thralls brought by the Vikings), with growing Polish, Lithuanian, and other European communities\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1946); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (1949; founding member); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949; founding member); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEuropean Economic Area\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001) — notably NOT a member of the EU\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eSettlement (874–930) — Norse settlers, led by Ingólfr Arnarson, colonize an uninhabited island; Irish monks (\u003cem\u003epapar\u003c\/em\u003e) may have arrived earlier\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Althing\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAlthing\u003c\/a\u003e established (930) — one of the world's oldest parliaments, founded at Þingvellir; Iceland governed as a commonwealth (\u003cem\u003eþjóðveldið\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eNorwegian rule (1262–1397) — Iceland submits to the Norwegian crown after civil strife\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eDanish rule (1397–1944) — passes to Denmark via the Kalmar Union; Denmark retains Iceland after Norway is ceded to Sweden in 1814\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eHome Rule \/ Union with Denmark (1874–1944) — Iceland receives its own constitution in 1874; becomes a sovereign state in personal union with Denmark in 1918\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRepublic of Iceland (1944–present)\u003c\/strong\u003e — declared independence on 17 June 1944 while Denmark was under German occupation; \u003cstrong\u003ethis note issued during this period\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces, relying on NATO membership and a small coast guard\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe entire country runs on nearly 100% renewable energy — geothermal and hydropower — making it one of the greenest energy grids on Earth\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIn 2008, Iceland's banking system collapsed spectacularly: three major banks failed within a week, with combined debts ten times the country's GDP — the largest banking collapse relative to GDP in history\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland recovered faster than almost any other country from the 2008 crisis — partly by letting the banks fail, prosecuting bankers, and devaluing the króna rather than imposing austerity\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/a\u003e — the four guardian spirits of Iceland (dragon, eagle, bull, and giant) — appear on Iceland's coat of arms and are taken seriously enough that road construction has historically been rerouted to avoid disturbing rocks believed to house \u003cem\u003ehuldufólk\u003c\/em\u003e (hidden people)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland has the world's oldest active parliament (the Althing, est. 930 AD) and one of the world's highest literacy rates — both dating to the same medieval culture that produced the Sagas\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIcelanders use a patronymic naming system: children take their father's (or mother's) first name as their surname with -son or -dóttir appended — there is no family surname tradition, and a phone book is sorted by first name\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar, shown on this note's reverse) were evacuated in a single night in January 1973 when Eldfell volcano erupted without warning — residents were told to leave immediately and most never returned to find their homes intact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Enlightenment at the Edge of the World\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMagnús Stephensen\u003c\/strong\u003e (1762–1833) was Iceland's first Chief Justice and its most prominent Enlightenment figure — a man who believed that reason, education, and modern governance could transform what was then one of Europe's most isolated and impoverished societies. He founded Iceland's first printing press, published the country's first newspaper, and campaigned for legal reform at a time when most Icelanders lived in turf houses and survived on dried fish. Placing him on the 25 Krónur note was a statement of national identity: \u003cstrong\u003eIceland is a civilization, not just a fishing outpost.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe view of Ísafjörður on the obverse reinforces this. Ísafjörður sits at the end of a narrow fjord in the Westfjords — the most remote peninsula of an already remote island — surrounded by mountains that drop almost vertically into the sea. It is the kind of place that makes you understand why Icelanders developed such a rich interior life: the Sagas, the Eddas, the poetry. When the landscape is that extreme, the mind turns inward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eVestmannaeyjar: The Island That Burned\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse of this note shows \u003cstrong\u003eVestmannaeyjar\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Westman Islands — in the calm of the early 1960s. Thirteen years later, on January 23, 1973, the island of Heimaey woke up to a volcanic fissure that had opened overnight. \u003cstrong\u003eThe entire population of 5,300 people was evacuated by fishing boat in a single night.\u003c\/strong\u003e The lava flow destroyed 400 homes and threatened to close the harbor — which would have ended the island's economy permanently. Icelanders pumped seawater onto the advancing lava for months, successfully cooling and redirecting it. Most residents eventually returned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis note, demonetized just two years after that eruption, captures Vestmannaeyjar as it was before the world knew its name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBradbury Wilkinson: The Printer's Printer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis note was printed by \u003cstrong\u003eBradbury Wilkinson and Company\u003c\/strong\u003e of New Malden, Surrey — one of the most respected security printers in the world from the mid-19th century until its closure in 1990. Bradbury Wilkinson printed banknotes for dozens of countries, as well as British postage stamps and share certificates. Their engraving work is characterized by exceptional fine-line detail and rich intaglio depth. The purple tones and multicoloured underprint on this note are a showcase of their craft at its mid-century best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOwn this note and you hold a piece of Iceland's republican dawn — a country that had just declared independence, was building its institutions, and chose to honor its Enlightenment past and its volcanic present on the same small rectangle of paper.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52160753434935,"sku":"IS39aVFPLUS","price":11.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/39-au-o.jpg?v=1779037021","url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/products\/iceland-p-39-25-kronur-1957-vf-very-fine-landsbanki-islands-sedlabankinn-version","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}