Released on Dec. 23 2015. Portrait: Nathan Alterman. Dominant color: Blue. Size: 150 x 71 mm. Design of front: The poet's portrait set against a background of autumn leaves. Design of back: Moonlit flora inspired by the poem "Eternal Meeting" and an excerpt from the poem “Morning Song”. Feature for the blind: Four pairs of lines on the bottom margin of the note, from left to right. Nathan Alterman (1910-1970), one of the greatest modern Israeli poets, translator, journalist, playwright and songwriter. Born in Warsaw, Poland, he immigrated to Israel with his family in 1925 and settled in Tel Aviv. Alterman was awarded numerous prizes for his literary works and translations, among them the Tchernichovsky Prize for Outstanding Translations (1946, 1968), the Ruppin Prize (1947), the Bialik Belles-Lettres Prize (1957) and the Israel Prize for Literature, for his lifetime achievement (1968). Security features: The transparent portrait- A watermark image of the portrait identical to the portrait shown on the banknote obverse, with the denomination next to it The perforated numerals - The banknote is perforated at the middle of the top part with tiny holes forming the banknote's denomination (200). Window thread – A blue–purple security thread is embedded in the banknote substrate and revealed in three "windows" on the back of the banknote. When tilting the banknote the thread changes its shade from blue to purple. Raised ink – The portrait, signature of the Governor, the Hebrew and Gregorian year, texts in three languages, as well as a designated features for the blind on the banknote's margins, are printed in intaglio. The glittering stripe – A transparent and glittering stripe next to the portrait. When tilting the banknote, the symbol of a Menorah and the nominal value alternately appear and disappear. The golden book – An artistic reflective foil element in the shape of an "open golden book". When the banknote is tilted backward and forward, the book changes its color from gold to green and simultaneously a horizontal line moves up and down across the book.
Looks like a departure from the "modernistic" look of the previous series - not such a bad thing. The 20 NS with the watchtower on it was kind of creepy.
I like how the layout is back to normal horizontal again on new 200. Seeing other faces, instead of past times politicians (who were no less thieves than the current ones, I suspect) is a refreshment. Heh, it IS creepy, never actually noticed it on 20. Well it is not "that" watch tower, its from the "Wall and Tower" method during Palestine days which fits right in with the rest of the banknote motive.
That is why political figures should NOT be placed on banknotes. Imagine Moshe Katsav being on a banknote - he was convicted of rape after he was president of Israel. Frankly they should have some hot chiquitas on their notes instead:
