A specimen banknote is printed generally in very limited quantities for distribution to central banks to aid in the recognition of banknotes from a country other than their own. In some cases, specimen banknotes are printed in less limited quantities distributed to commercial banks, or even to commercial enterprises and the public at large in order to familiarize users about new designs. In addition, specimen banknotes are sold in some countries to collectors (often in special commemorative folders or albums). They have also been distributed by banknote printers (such as the American Bank Note Company) as examples of their craftsmanship. Occasionally, specimen banknotes are distributed as gifts to dignitaries or to employees of central banks, often in special presentation albums. To avoid use of specimen banknotes as legal tender notes, the banknotes are deformed, typically by being overprinted and/or punched (perfin) with an inscription such as "SPECIMEN," "SPECIMEN NO VALUE," "CANCELLED" or the equivalent in one or more other languages. In most cases, specimen notes have readily-identifiable serial numbers such as "99999999999" or "00000000000" or "1234567890." Many specimens have an additional "control number" that is used by a central bank to track who received a particular specimen. Specimen banknotes vary in scarcity; in the case of the United States and many other countries, specimen banknotes remain the property of the central bank and when shared with another entity, are supposed to be kept secure and returned on demand. Such specimen banknotes may make it to collector markets without authorization. In other cases, specimen banknotes are very widely distributed, and since they have no circulating value, may be worth less than circulating notes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specimen_banknote A test (trial) note generally has no identifiable denomination or has a fictitious currency and is used by independent printers or Government printers to showcase their printing technology or anti-counterfeiting measures, or as souvenirs at various industry tradeshows or collector events and expositions.
This is the TOP tier RMB government printer who issue TRIAL NOTE for coming Beijing EXPO 2016. This will gift to some VIP. As understood, they mint less than 500 set for this panda and great wall. They will release some for sell too. This trial note is printed for the events and show off their counterfeit prevention and paper note printing technology in the yearly international coin and paper note exhibition.
this is one of the TRIAL NOTE by the same printer. The second and third photo show one of the anti-counterfeiting measures.
Please note that TRIAL NOTE price can varies from one printer to another and one country to another due to the technology, issue purposes, mintage, printer, designers and so on. It can price range can be from USD1 to USD mio.
