One day after their launch, newly-released Rp 1,000 (11 US cent) coins and Rp 10,000 bills were eagerly hunted by collectors in Bandung.
A resident of Babakan Ciamis, Sumur Bandung district, Tatang Sumantri, said he had been walking throughout his neighborhood since 7 a.m. to exchange Rp 200,000 into the new coins and bills, mostly due to curiosity on the shape and design of the currency that he heard about from the media.
"I'm just curious. They say the *coin* design includes angklung and the Gedung Sate building, Bandung's icon," Tatang said last week. The former is a traditional Sundanese musical instrument made from bamboo and the latter refers to the headquarters of the West Java administration.
The new Rp 10,000 banknote carries images of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II, a national hero from South Sumatra, and a lisang, which is the name of the province's traditional house.
Tatang said he would not keep the money, but give it to his children to spend. People had started queuing at the Bandung office of Bank Indonesia at 6 a.m. to get the new currency, even though the branch did not open until 8 a.m.
Bandung residents have been eager to get the new denominations since the coins and banknotes were released Tuesday. On the day of launch, two vans carrying cash from Bank Jabar and Bank Syariah Mandiri were stationed at the Bandung Indah Plaza and Bandung Supermal. Each of the vans had Rp 310 million in currency, Rp 10 million in Rp 1,000 coins and Rp 300 million in Rp 10,000 banknotes.
Vice President Boediono officially launched the new denominations, which were issued in anticipation of an expected increase in consumer spending during the Idul Fitri holiday.
Bank Indonesia Governor Darmin Nasution said the issuance of the new denominations was strategic given the expected increase in small-value monetary transactions in the near future.
"One of Bank Indonesia's duties is to maintain the supply of money in accordance with popular demand," said Darmin at the launch at the Bank Indonesia branch in Bandung on Jl Braga, Bandung.
The ceremony was also attended by West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, North Sumatra Governor Syamsul Arifin and South Sumatra Governor Alex Nurdin.
Darmin said more than 50 percent of Indonesia's money supply was comprised of small denomination bills or coinsless than Rp 10,000 in value.
Bank Indonesia said it would print 719 million new Rp 1,000 coins and 820 million new Rp 10,000 banknotes this year.
- JP/Yuli Tri SuwarnBandung
