National Bank of Republika Srpska
The National Bank of Republika Srpska, appearing on banknotes as Narodna Banka Republike Srpske, issued the later Republika Srpska dinar series of 1993. Its notes span the final high-denomination phase of the first dinar and the October 1993 currency reform, after which a new dinar family introduced writer Petar Kočić as the principal portrait subject.
Quick Facts
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Currency: Republika Srpska Dinar
Local name: Narodna Banka Republike Srpske
Institutional Identity
Narodna Banka Republike Srpske is the issuing authority printed on the later 1993 Republika Srpska banknotes and is the second of the two Republika Srpska issuing authorities catalogued for that wartime period. Contemporary Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina publications also render the institution in English as National Bank of Republika Srpska.
Its banknote scope is distinct from the preceding Narodna Banka Srpske Republike Bosne I Hercegovine. The earlier institution issued the 1992–1993 Banja Luka series, whereas Narodna Banka Republike Srpske appears on the subsequent 1993 issues and on the notes associated with the October 1993 redenomination.
The authority belongs to the Republika Srpska dinar system rather than to the Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark system. Its notes are therefore catalogued under a separate historical currency and issuer relationship, even though Republika Srpska later became one of the entities within post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Historical Evolution
The bank’s first 1993 issues continued the extremely high denominations of the original Republika Srpska dinar. The regular series includes denominations from 50 million to 10 billion dinara and retained the familiar coat-of-arms design language of the preceding issuer.
On 1 October 1993 the original Republika Srpska dinar was replaced at a rate of one new dinar for one million old dinars. The second 1993 issue began again at lower nominal figures, but hyperinflation quickly drove denominations upward, eventually reaching the trillions. This redenomination is the central chronological break in the bank’s paper-money history.
The later family also introduced a new visual identity centred on writer Petar Kočić. Catalogue references to P149–P151 horizontal overprints require caution: The Banknote Book treats those MILIONA / DINARA overprints as unofficial rather than as normal issued notes. Regular collector attribution should therefore follow the documented 1993 first and second issue families.
Design Philosophy
The first notes under Narodna Banka Republike Srpske retained the Serbian coat of arms, stylised vase and balanced geometric framework of the earlier Banja Luka series. This continuity helped the new issuer remain visually connected to the existing dinar system even as the institutional legend changed.
The post-redenomination family introduced a much stronger portrait-led identity. Writer Petar Kočić appears prominently on the front, accompanied by guilloche and wave-like security engraving, while the reverse carries the Serbian coat of arms. The design is more biographical and less purely heraldic than the preceding series.
Across both phases, the notes remain products of rapid wartime and hyperinflationary issue. Repeated layouts, escalating denomination inscriptions and relatively stable motifs allowed values to change quickly without requiring a completely new visual system for every monetary step.
For collectors
For collectors, the issuer name is a decisive first check. Narodna Banka Republike Srpske belongs to the later 1993 phase and should not be merged with notes carrying the longer Narodna Banka Srpske Republike Bosne I Hercegovine title.
The second key distinction is the 1 October 1993 redenomination. Collectors should separate the high-value notes of the first dinar from the later Petar Kočić family of the new dinar, then use denomination, prefix, watermark, serial status and replacement or remainder markers to identify the exact variety.
Unofficial overprints deserve particular caution because they can resemble emergency currency-reform issues. The safest classification is based on the printed issuing authority and the documented regular issue families rather than on a large overprinted denomination alone.
