...Kingdom of Yugoslavia - 100 Dinara (1929) And 1000 Dinara (1931) Large Size Notes in UNC Condition

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

(1918-1945)

 

Народна банка Краљевине Југославије

(Narodna Banka Kraljevine Jugoslavije)

(National Bank of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia)

Currency - Dinara

Update:

28.12.2024 - I have added the 100 dinara dated December 1st 1929.

This is a surprise purchase for myself. I recently attended a local small meet/show and my intention was to purchase banknote sleeves to store my banknotes collection. Unfortunately, the seller for these banknote sleeves was not there, so I browsed around at some of the tables and this beautiful note caught my eyes.

 

There is nothing special about this note as I understand there are plenty on offer in various conditions. This note caught my eyes because of its size, as I have a soft spot for large size banknotes. More importantly, the condition of this note is in flat (UNC) condition and if you are an experienced collector, you know that finding banknotes like this in such condition is not easy. I am not sure I have paid the right or fair price as those currently selling on the Internet are various and compared for what I have paid for, I would say that I have paid a fair price. If not, then I may have over paid between $10-$15, but I am happy with this purchase as I have the opportunity to view the note physically before buying it. Buying on Internal will incur sales tax and postage charges too. More importantly, the note may not turn out as described. What is uncirculated to a seller may not be uncirculated to you!

As per the above heading, this note was issued by the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. This note is printed with a date of 01.12.1931, and according to a website, it was released for circulation on 01.01.1933. This note formed part of the first series of banknotes issued by the kingdom and a full set consists of 10, 50, 100 and 1000 dinara. The 1000 dinara is the largest denomination for this series. This is the only note I have and I have no intention to get the remaining missing notes to complete this series.

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was formed on 01.12.1918 following the end of the First World War (28.07.1914 to 11.11.1918). The kingdom is basically made up of territories of Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and some other surrounding territories. The first monarch of the kingdom when it was formed was Peter I (b.1844-1921). He died at the good old age of 77 years old and was succeeded by his second son Alexander I (b.1888-1934). King Alexander I, then aged 33 years old, went on as the King of Yugoslavia for the next 13 years until he was assassinated on 09.10.1934 during a state visit to France (Marseilles). He was shot and killed while his car was traveling slowly along the streets of Marseilles. The assassin was a Bulgarian national and after the assassination, he was fatally wounded by a French policeman with a sword and then beaten by an angry crowd. He later died in police custody. King Alexander I was then succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander II (b.1923-1970). Alexander II (then aged 11 years old) went on and served as the King of Yugoslavia for the next 11 years and was then disposed by the Communist Regime headed by Marshal Josip Broz Tito (b.1892-1980) on 29.11.1945, and declared Yugoslavia a Republic. Nazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941 and Alexander II spent the next few years in exile fighting the invaders.

 

 

One Hundred Dinara

Front - A woman representing the allegory of Serbia, in her sitting position with her right hand in a raised pointing position, and her left hand holding a sword. In the center left is a birds eye view of the city of Belgrade by the Sava river with a steam ship and a sailboat traveling along the river. The Sava river flows from Slovenia, through Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and then finally into Serbia territory before feeding its water into the Danube river in Belgrade. The river basically spit the city of Belgrade into two. 

 

Signatures

Board Member - Andrija Radovic

Governor - Ignjat J. Bajloni

Dated - Belgrade, December 1, 1929

Watermark - King Alexander I facing left

Dimensions - 170.5mm x 103mm

Back - On the right is a standing young man wearing a hat and dressed in national costume. The young man is holding a bunch of various fruits and is leaning his left hand on a shield with the design of the kingdom's Coat of Arms - a double headed eagle with both its wings spanned out. In the center are three sailing boats traveling along a river or the Adriatic sea. Location is unknown. This is a very colourful note with all available spaces printed with various colours except for the watermark area and the four edges around the note. Back in those old days, most notes were printed with just mono, two or three colours only but not this note. This note is more colourful than some of those later issues of Yugoslavia. This is a credit to the designer. During World War II, the Axis powers (Germany, Italian, Hungarian and Bulgarian) invaded Yugoslavia on 06.04.1941. This note ceased being legal tender in July 1941.

 

One Thousand Dinara

 

Front - The portrait of Maria (b.1900-1961). Maria was born Princess Maria of Romania and was a well educated person. He married Alexander I on 08.06.1922 and became the Queen Maria Karađorđević of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and then Queen Maria of Yugoslavia in 1929. She is also the mother of King Alexander II. In 1941, she was given the title of Queen Mother of Yugoslavia. In 1939, she moved to England together with her second and third sons. Whilst in England, she lived a relatively quiet life. She died in Chelsea, England on 22.06.1961 at the age of 61 years old. In 1947, Marshal Tito revoked her Yugoslavian citizenship and confiscated all her properties in Yugoslavia. To the far right is a flying eagle with a view of a forest in the background.

Signatures

Member of the Management - Melko Cingrijia

Governor - Ignjat J. Bajloni

Dated - Belgrade, December 1, 1931

Watermark - King Alexander I

Dimensions - 197mm x 127mm

Back - Two allegorical young women both in white dresses and both also wearing a veil on their heads. The woman on the left is holding a sickle in her right hand and a sheaf of wheat in her right arm and a twig in her left hand. Behind her is an apple tree. The woman on the right is holding a shield with the design of the coat of arms of Yugoslavia and a sword in her left hand and also a twig in her right hand. Behind her is a grapevine. Below the round watermark area is an image of a double-headed eagle with its wings spanned out wide and on its chest is an image of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in a shield.