Currency of Estonia 100 krooni banknote 2007
Bank of Estonia - Eesti Pank
Obverse: The front side of the 100-kroon banknote features LYDIA KOIDULA (1843–1886) – an Estonian poetess, playwright and one of the prominent figures of the national awakening movement in the 19th century. Koidula was the founder of Estonian drama and theatre. She took part in organising the first Song Festival in 1869. Koidula was also a journalist but she is especially known as a romantic patriotic poetess. To the right of the portrait, a singing nightingale is presented. The nightingale represents Koidula’s most important collection of verses: “Emajõe Ööbik” (The Nightingale of the Emajõgi River).
Signatures: Governor Vahur Kraft and Chairman of the Board Mart Sõrg.
Reverse: The back side of the banknote features stormy waves and a limestone cliff. Limestone is Estonia’s national stone. The Estonian limestone cliff is a unique natural formation. The North Estonian cliff runs from the cape of Pakri in the west to the town of Narva in the east. The highest point near the village of Ontika is 56 metres high.
Right-hand side: a watermark depicting the portrait of Lydia Koidula; the watermark
can be seen when the banknote is held against the light.
In 1997, a need arose for new 100-kroon banknotes. The most up-to-date security elements were applied in the new series. Eesti Pank was the first in the world to incorporate in the series a security element which is visible only through a special lens. The main colour and design, also measures remained the same. The new series was printed by the German printing house Bundesdruckerei GmbH and was put into circulation on 30 April 1999.
Obverse: The portrait of Lydia Koidula is engraved and shifted to the left to make room for a 3-dimensional watermark depicting the portrait on the right hand side. Above the watermark, on the right there is a uniformly light watermark featuring denomination “100”. A vertical holographic foil stripe is placed on the left edge. If viewed at an angle, lions from the coat of arms in a “positive” and “negative” form alternate with the seal of Eesti Pank. The left border of the foil stripe displays micro-printed repeating text “EESTI PANK 100”. A security element for the visually impaired is in the lower-right corner.
Reverse: Different from the earlier series, the serial numbers are on the back side. Furthermore, a few lines from Koidula's poem have been added.
Estonian kroon banknotes
Bank of Estonia - Eesti Pank