Artists

ARTISTS

Since I started collecting micronational banknotes, I have been frequently asked by many micronationalists around the globe as to how they can design and produce banknotes for their micronations. Admittedly, the vast majority of the micronationalists choose to do this work completely by themselves, and their home-made banknotes usually end up with considerably decent quality when seen from a micronational perspective. Nonetheless, other micronationalists who seek for much more professional banknote designs often find themselves in difficult situations. With the Raam banknotes of the Global Country of World Peace (GCP1~3) being the only exception, which were produced by Joh. Enschedé, the same company responsible for the old Gulden notes of the Netherlands, it is almost impossible budget-wise for any other micronations to request the service of such professional security printing companies that manufacture the banknotes we use in everyday life. Consequently, I have decided to compile the following list of individual banknote artists who have helped with many of the most professional creation I have encountered in terms of micronational banknotes. Please be advised that the museum is not associated with any of the artists listed here, but only intends to provide their information in acknowledgement of their brilliant work dedicated to the micronational community, and to bring convenience to micronationalists who might be interested in having their banknotes designed in a professional manner.

Matej Gabris is a renowned graphic artist based in Slovakia who designs and produces some of the highest-quality banknotes ever created by individual designers. With unique and original designs and professional engraving and security printing techniques, Mr. Gabris tends to focus more on non-negotiable fantasy banknotes instead of micronational issues. Nonetheless, he has indeed helped in particular with the banknotes of Seborga (SEB1), as well as the unpublished banknote design on behalf of the Czech micronation of Polabsko. While Mr. Gabris probably does not accept private commissions at the moment, those who are interested in his works can visit his official website GabrisBanknote for a selected portfolio, including many designs that can compete with the regular banknotes manufactured by professional security printing enterprises in terms of their quality.
Dias Han is an Indonesia-based graphic designer who is most notable for his colorful and modern-styled banknote designs for micronations. Famed within the micronational community, Mr. Han has designed banknotes for various micronations around the globe, including DUC1~8 of Duckionary, EDR40~45 of Edristan, and MTO1~4 of Mattonia, all of which have eventually materialized in physical form and received great applause from both micronationalists and banknote collectors as well. Mr. Han is currently available for paid commissions and can be reached via his portfolio account DNBC on Instagram, where the digital designs of many other banknotes he has designed for micronations are displayed for viewing.
Franck Medina is a France-based graphic artist who also serves as the founder and the reigning king of the Kingdom of Kamberra, a micronation famous for its extremely complex and unique banknotes that have been issued since the late '80s. A talented banknote artist, Mr. Medina has not only designed banknotes for his own micronation Kamberra, but also helped with those issued by other friendly countries, including BAV1~3 of Bavaria, BUR1~2 of Burgundy, and MAR1~5 of Marianna. Much of Mr. Medina's recent banknote art presents an elegant oil painting style resembling the old French banknotes, which remains one of a kind among all micronational banknotes I have ever been acquainted with. Mr. Medina's recent banknote portfolio can be viewed on Kamberra Banknotes, though this page is not affiliated with the micronation of Kamberra or Mr. Medina himself personally.
Rex Garbienn Relampagos is a banknote designer based in the Philippines who also serves as the supreme leader of his micronation, Oriental People's Socialist Republic. A long-time banknote collector himself, Mr. Relampagos has designed a wide array of banknotes for his micronation, drawing inspiration based on its fictional history from not only the modern banknotes issued by Southeast Asian countries, but also uniquely from the socialist-styled banknotes from the same region earlier in the '70s. Apart from the Oriental PSR, Mr. Relampagos has also helped with the following banknote designs: BUD1~4 of Buddendorf, NRU1 of New Rubix, and PAN14~15 of Pangeria. Mr. Relampagos currently accepts paid commissions and can be reached via Instagram, where a complete portfolio of his banknote designs is also available for viewing.
Nils Seuthe is a Germany-based banknote designer who currently also serves as the president of the People's Republic of Edristan, a professional micronation well-known in the global micronational community. Apart from the wide range of banknotes issued by Edristan, Mr. Seuthe has also helped with the following banknote designs: NEM1~5 of Nemoland, PAN6~12 of Pangeria, and USK9 of the United States of Kerban. While many of these banknotes embody a delicate combination of guilloché and geometric shapes, I am also particularly amazed by a more recent design of Mr. Seuthe for Pangeria (which can be viewed here), featuring sophisticated themes harmoniously united under a style inspired by the current Serbian dinar issue. Mr. Seuthe currently accepts paid commissions and can be reached via his portfolio accounts on Instagram and Reddit.
Thomas Stebbins serves as the principal designer of the US-based Atlantic Bank Note Company, one of the earliest private companies dedicated to professional banknote designing and printing for micronations and small communities alike. As a banknote artist, Mr. Stebbins particularly specializes in engraving and has designed banknotes for a wide range of micronations in Americas and Oceania, including the following: AER1 of Aerica, AMA1~2 of Amandium, ATL1~4 of Atlantium, GRE1 of Greifenberg, HES1~9 of Hesperia, KOT1~4 of the Kingdom of Time, NAZ1~2 of Nazland, PIN1~6 of Pinsk, and REU1 of Reunion. In addition, Mr. Stebbins has also collaborated with another gifted banknote artist from France, Mr. Franck Medina, in terms of the engraved portrait shown on various early banknotes of Kamberra (KAM67, 93~96 & 137~139). Unfortunately, Mr. Stebbins is not accepting any new commissions at the moment, but many of his previous banknote designs can still be viewed on the official website of the ABNC.