What is on the money in Israel?

Every current denomination carries a poet, with lines of their verse micro-printed into the design — an unusual choice for a currency, and a deliberate one, arrived at after a decision to move away from political figures. Two of the four are women. The notes have raised tactile lines for blind users, in a different count on each denomination.

Who and what is on each note

The unusual part

A currency where every note is a poet, with their own lines printed as security microtext.

The practical facts

Currency

Israeli new shekel — ISO code ILS, symbol ₪

Printed on

Cotton and linen, not wood pulp

Survives a wash?

Usually. Cotton and linen notes tear rather than dissolve, and generally survive a wash.

Can a blind person tell them apart?

Yes — the denominations differ in size, which is the simplest and most reliable tactile cue there is.

Highest note in issue

₪200 — Nathan Alterman, poet

This page describes the notes rather than showing them. Reproducing a banknote image is restricted in most jurisdictions, and the restrictions differ between them.