Collection Inspiration: Year of the Snake
Posted on 1/22/2025
The Chinese Zodiac is entering the 32nd cycle of the 60-year Lunar calendar, making 2025 the Year of the Wood Snake. The Year of the Snake for 2025 will begin on January 29, with celebrations being held throughout Asia during this period.
In the Chinese Lunar calendar, every year is associated with one of its corresponding 12 Zodiac animals. The snake is the sixth animal of the 12-year cycle, symbolizing wisdom, growth and renewal. With the ability to shed its skin, the snake represents transformation.
The snake is combined with one of the five elements in Chinese metaphysics. For 2025, that element is wood, which represents strength and growth. Along with the snake, wood is said to create a sense of adaptability and change. As celebrations soon commence to honor the Year of the Snake, here are 10 examples of banknotes that feature snakes.
Ten Banknotes Featuring Snakes
Aruba
In 2003, Aruba paid tribute to a snake species that only exists on the island country by featuring the reptile on its banknotes. The native Crotalus Unicolor, also known as the Cascabel or Aruba Island Rattlesnake, inhabit the sandy, rocky and arid hillsides of the island. The rattlesnake adorns the front of the Aruba, Centrale Bank 2003 25 Florin note. Like all pit vipers, it is venomous.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Belgium
With a nod to Greek mythology and god of medicine Asclepius, Belgium included imagery of Asclepius holding a rod with a snake wrapped around it on many of its banknotes in the 1970s. Modern medicine symbols are inspired by Asclepius, sometimes accidentally showing two snakes on the rod instead of just one. Asclepius' rod can be found on the reverse of the Belgium, Banque Nationale 1971-77 5,000 Francs note.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Brazil
In the early 1990s, Brazil featured not one but two native snakes on one of its banknotes: the mussurana and jararaca. The mussurana specializes in ophiophagy, eating other snakes, even venomous ones like the jararaca. The Brazil, Banco Central ND(1991) 10,000 Cruzeiros note utilizes images and designs of snakes, including a mussurana devouring a jararaca on its reverse. The front shows a snake being milked for its venom along with scientist Vital Brazil (a pioneer in developing antivenin to treat snakebites) and both sides of the note show scales, snakeskin and other snake-related designs throughout.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Cambodia
Some countries have even showcased mythical snakes that have been part of their culture for centuries on their banknotes. Mucilinda, the mighty King of Serpents, is a nāga that is said to have protected the Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment, sheltering Buddha with its hood from a great storm. The multi-headed, cobra-like nāga is found on both the front and back of the Cambodia, National Bank 2015 5,000 Riels note.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Colombia
The Green Anaconda is the largest snake not just in Colombia but in the entire world, and it appeared on the country's banknotes just a decade ago. The Colombia, Banco de la Republica 2015 10,000 Pesos note shows an artistic representation of the Amazon River morphing into a Green Anaconda on its reverse.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Greece
Similar to Asclepius holding a rod with a snake, a portrait of Hermes with a caduceus adorns colorful Greek notes of the 1930s. The caduceus is Hermes' staff, with two serpents winding upward forming a double helix. In Greek mythology, the caduceus is a powerful weapon symbolizing peace and rebirth. Hermes and his staff are showcased prominently on the front of the Greece, Bank of Greece 1935 100 Drachmai note.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Macao
The most literal of the notes on this list, Macao released a special Year of the Snake note during the last Lunar calendar cycle 12 years ago. The brightly colored note features the same artistic rendering of a snake on each side of the note, along with a Chinese Zodiac calendar on the front's background. These are featured on the Macau, China 2013 10 Patacas "Year of the Snake" note.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Mexico
The Mexican flag famously includes imagery of an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a snake, which was inspired by Aztec mythology and the legends of the country's origins. As early as 1821, this coat of arms was adopted for Mexico's national flag, and it made its way onto the reverse side of the Mexico, Banco de Londres y Mexico 1910-13 5 Pesos note.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Romania
During the Roman Empire of the 2nd century, a large cult formed that worshipped an ancient snake god named Glycon. The popularity of the snake god grew so much that in the 3rd century, during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius, official Roman coins were struck in honor of Glycon. In more recent years, imagery of Glycon can be found on the front of the Romania, Banca Nationala 1994 10,000 Lei note.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Sri Lanka
At first glance, one likely notices the colorful Sri Lanka, Central Bank of Ceylon 1979 100 Rupees note for its queen sago plant and multiple native Sri Lankan birds. Upon further inspection, another native species can be found on a nearby branch: a Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper. Due to its arboreal lifestyle, these vipers live and hunt among the trees of the country, which was perfectly captured on this banknote.
 |
|
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
If you’d like to learn even more about the intersection of snakes and numismatics, check out this NGC Ancients column: Snakes on Coins. If you're interested in more inspiring banknotes, check out our other Collection Inspiration columns for more collecting ideas, including ones on the recent zodiac signs dragon, tiger and ox. Also, be sure to follow PMG on Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter for other articles and interesting notes posted daily.
Stay Informed
Want news like this delivered to your inbox once a month? Subscribe to the free PMG eNewsletter today!