Collection Inspiration: Elephants

Sharing a common ancestor with mammoths and mastodons, elephants are now the largest living land animals on Earth. Unfortunately, despite their gargantuan size, elephant populations have experienced significant declines over the last century due to poaching and habitat loss. World Elephant Day, a global event dedicated to raising awareness about elephant conservation and protection, is observed each year on August 12. To celebrate the occasion, Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) has dedicated this month’s Collection Inspiration column to elephants.

Ten Banknotes Featuring Elephants

Angola, Banco de Angola 1956 100 Escudos

This Angola note depicts a group of African forest elephants at water's edge. The smaller of the two African species of elephants, these forest elephants live in groups of up to 20, comprising mostly females. As herbivores, African forest elephants are often nicknamed “mega gardeners” because they forage heavily on leaves, fruit and tree bark.

Cambodia, National Bank 2019 15,000 Riels

Elephants have been revered by many cultures since antiquity. The modern Win-Win Memorial in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh includes the three-headed elephant statue depicted on the back of this note. The three-headed elephant symbol is found throughout Southeast Asia and was even included on Laos’ flag until 1975.

Thailand, Bank of Thailand ND (1978) 100 Baht

In addition to revering elephants, some cultures use elephants as beasts of burden or war. This Thailand note depicts King Naresuan the Great (who ruled part of Southeast Asia in the 16th century) atop a war elephant, illustrating how elephants have been used as war mounts and weapons since ancient times. War elephants were used as cavalry animals; their main use was to charge the enemy, break their ranks and terrorize them. Other prominent figures in history who used war elephants include Hannibal and Alexander the Great.

Ivory Coast / Emergency World War II Issue ND (1943) 1 Franc

Elephants are a national emblem of the Ivory Coast, which was named after the ivory trade by the European explorers when they encountered the territory. In the 1960s, the nation reported that nearly 100,000 elephants lived in the forests of the Ivory Coast. Unfortunately, that number has declined dramatically; by 2020, a study estimated that only 225 forest elephants remain in the area. Their decline is contributed to habitat loss, poaching and the First Ivorian Civil War, which began in 2002.

Zaire, Banque du Zaire 1972-76 1 Zaire

The reverse of this Zaire note shows a pair of elephant tusks separated from the elephant, with one tusk filled with flowers similar to a cornucopia. Although the design looks serene, it shows the unfortunate consequences of the ivory trade. Though several laws and bans have helped to minimize the trade, elephants are still heavily hunted today for their ivory hides and tusks.

Belgian Congo, Banque du Congo Belge 1942 20 Francs

In addition to war animals, elephants have been used as beasts of burden throughout history. In North America, they are popular exhibits at zoos and are sometimes still used as attractions in circuses. However, in other cultures, they are used for hauling logs, tourists or crops. Sometimes, elephants are used in construction. People sought to use elephants as beasts of burden due to their high intelligence and strong bond with humans.

Myanmar, Central Bank ND (2009) 5,000 Kyats

A white elephant is a rare type of elephant that symbolizes royalty, power and purity in Myanmar and surrounding countries. Though they are depicted as either albino or snow white in media, white elephants are actually a soft reddish-brown color with fair eyelashes and toenails. Myanmar’s military regime has historically used white elephants to bolster their political legitimacy, and white elephants are considered a cosmic endorsement for the reigning monarch. Despite their reverence, Myanmar has been criticized for keeping white elephants in less-than-ideal conditions.

Sri Lanka, Central Bank 1992 1,000 Rupees

The use of elephants in circuses has been a hot topic within animal rights activist groups for decades, but it has especially come under scrutiny in recent years. Elephants were some of the first animals to be featured in circus acts, and they remain popular, as depicted on this Sri Lanka note. While these acts are fun to watch, elephants are often trained using harsh and painful methods, such as being chained or whipped. Amidst the controversy, several circuses, including the famous Ringling Bros., have retired their elephants and associated acts.

Malawi, Reserve Bank 2012 50 Kwacha

An African elephant is shown on the back of this Malawi note. In 1978, the African elephant was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Since then, numerous animal rights activist groups and bystanders have taken action to preserve the species. Today, Kasungu National Park — the park depicted on the note — has become a protected reserve for African elephants and similar species.

Nepal, Rastra Bank 2019 1,000 Rupees

The Asian elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986. Luckily, there is hope on the horizon — the Asian elephant population is slowly increasing thanks to conservation efforts. As of 2019, the global wild population of Asian elephants is estimated to be around 51,000 individuals. The two young elephants depicted on the back of this Nepal note are a testament to the hope that people have for the species.

If these banknotes featuring elephants inspire you, check out our other Collection Inspiration columns for more collecting ideas, including ones on eagles, primates and tigers. Also, be sure to follow PMG on Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter for other articles and interesting notes posted daily.