Czech National Bank issues commemorative 5,000 CZK banknotes

Thousands of people have queued at Czech National Bank (ČNB) branches in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, and Hradec Králové to acquire special 5,000 CZK banknotes. The limited edition of 200,000 pieces was released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Bank of Czechoslovakia.

The commemorative notes feature a special nano-effect foil imprint, two portraits of Czechoslovakia's first president, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, and a QR code. While the notes maintain the same dimensions and design as standard currency and can be used for regular payments, they have also sparked a secondary market. Speculators have already listed the notes on online auction sites, with prices ranging from 6,500 CZK to as high as 10,000 CZK.

Each customer is permitted to exchange a maximum of three banknotes for domestic currency of equivalent value. The high demand has led some collectors to camp outside bank branches to ensure they secure the notes before stocks are exhausted.