Visa dollar

[Pellinore]

Further forthcomings of the field day:

Visa dollar. What would it be for? Who is Coonen?
Might be from the Netherlands. 1995.

-- Paul

[Figleaf]

J.J.H.W.M. Coonen was managing director of credit card-organisation Visa Card Services (VSB International) from 1995 until 2008. The part of the building shown is the central part of the VSB offices on Wisselwerking 32, Diemen (near Amsterdam). The building was opened in 1991. Your note is dated 1995. No idea how it was used, presumably for advertising.

Peter

[gpimper]

Is that even legal?  Interesting bill, though.

[Figleaf]

The Dutch central bank (DNB) is pretty fierce on Dutch banknotes, e.g. you cannot make pictures of them, except when they are in a very different size or overlaid with the word SPECIMEN. You can imitate them only if the difference with the original is quite obvious. While in principle they have no obligation towards foreign banknotes, in practice they are likely to apply the same rules, whether formally, because of rules, regulations and treaties or informally, because they hate confusing imitations. I would argue, that in this case, the portrait, the bird and the building are sufficiently different from the original not to cause confusion. In cases of doubt, DNB can be asked for an opinion before the fact, a judge can rule after the fact.

Peter

[brandm24]

I wouldn't think it would be confused with a legitimate note either. A similar look but enough has been changed to remove any confusion.

I was also wondering about the purpose of it. Other than advertising, I can't think of any.

Bruce

[eurocoin]

Advertising is indeed likely. No further clues about its usage can be found online and in general this appears to be the only one on the internet. It is no longer possible to ask Mr Coonen either as he died last year. I was also interested by that bird, which apparently is a dove that is/was since 1978 being used as a security feature on certain Visa cards. On the real US 1 dollar note an eagle is depicted in that circle.

[caberney]

I have notice a lot of US dollar fantasy notes mentioned here with some seriousness. In the US with the people I am acquainted with these dollars are either one of two type, Advertisement or Satirical pieces. Examples include the Bill Clinton 3 Dollar note and the Trump 1,000,000 Dollar note. Recently, there has be a lot of Gold Plated notes that some one has designed and set out on the market. These notes have not real value at all.

It is similar to the rash of Military Challenge Coin that came out in at the end of the 20th century and still flow into the market today. Military Challenge Coin are actually unit made medals that go back in some stories to WWI but were really made prominent during the US involvement in the Korean conflict and Vietnam Military actions. With the escalation of Desert Shield and Desert Storm commercial companies got on the "Band Wagon" to try and "make a buck" on the nationalism in the US. It was doubled down after the attack on the twin towers and the Pentagon. Everyone wanted to show support and the commercial mints went into bigtime product of what they called Military Challenge coins. But there was no military or real challenge behind the medals they were selling.

I had one person try to compare the US fantasy dollars to "hell note" but they are just cheap commercialized gimmick with not more true value than a "pet rock"

[chrisild]

Had not noticed that detail before, but ... it does say "This note is illegal tender". 

Christian