The Central Bank today brought the new AR$2000 bill into circulation. Argentina’s most valuable note, it is currently worth US$8.26 at the official exchange rate and US$4.30 at the MEP dollar rate.

From today onwards, the bill will gradually be rolled out at bank branches across the country, according to a Central Bank press release.

Its design features a series of anti-forgery measures, including a watermark, micrographic and latent imaging, and magnetic, infrared and luminescent inks. It also features an identification code that can be felt with the fingers, so blind and visually-impaired people can identify it.

The banknotes, which are mainly gray and pink, feature images of doctors Cecilia Grierson and Ramón Carrillo, as well as the national laboratories and healthcare administration, the Malbrán Institute. Grierson (1859-1934) was the country’s first woman doctor and an activist for women’s rights. She worked as an obstetrician and kinesiologist, but was prevented from working as a surgeon, despite having the relevant training, because of her gender. 

Carrillo (1906-1956) was a neurosurgeon who served as Argentina’s first health minister and played a fundamental role in eradicating diseases including malaria in Argentina.

The new design is intended to pay homage to public health workers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill is worth twice as much as the largest existing note, worth AR$1000, and the Central Bank states that it will facilitate cash machine operations and the transportation of money.
The launch of the AR$2000 note was announced in February, when it would have been worth US$10.66 at the official rate and US$5.63 at the MEP rate.