New Dh500 banknote coming into circulation this week

Changes in design, including a see-through 'window', will provide additional security measures.

Powered by automated translation

A new Dh500 banknote with extra security features will enter circulation this week, the Central Bank announced yesterday.

The banknotes will be issued from Tuesday though old notes will still be valid, according to Wam, the state news agency.

The design includes a see-through "window" on the front. A stripe runs through the window, which shows a falcon head and the denomination. The colours seem to change with the viewing angle.

The banknotes will feature several other differences. The silver thread on the back of the note will be replaced with a broader "window" thread that reads UAE 500 and also appears to change colour.

The metallic ink around the UAE emblem on the front will be replaced with multi-colour ink and a multi-colour "hidden" image will feature on the bottom left. The falcon on the back will be smaller.

Banks will receive the new notes through the Central Bank's regular procedures for cash withdrawal and deposit, according to Wam.

The dirham was put into circulation on May 19, 1973 and the current Dh500 note was issued in 1982. Its front features a falcon and the back depicts Dubai's Jumeirah Mosque, the first mosque in the country to be open to non-Muslims.

* With additional reporting by Rym Ghazal