Unauthorized Cyrillic Font by Russian Designer Spotted on Ukraine's 2000 Hryvnia Banknote

The 2000 Hryvnia Banknote Controversy

According to Главком: Ukraine's National Bank has come under scrutiny for using an unlicensed Cyrillic version of the Bickham Script font on its new 2000 hryvnia note. The Cyrillic adaptation was created in 2005 by Russian designer Alexandra Gofman, while the original Latin typeface was designed by American Richard Lipton in 1997 and licensed to Adobe. Notably, Adobe's official Cyrillic version did not appear until 2016, raising serious questions about the legality of the font featured on the newly issued currency.

The 2000 hryvnia banknote was unveiled by the National Bank of Ukraine on July 10. It bears a portrait of poet Vasyl Stus, along with the main building of Donetsk National University named after him, his signature, and a quote from the artist. As of this publication, neither the National Bank nor its governor, Andriy Pyshny, have issued any official statements regarding the matter.

Recurring Issues with Unauthorized Fonts

This is not the first such incident. In 2019, an unlicensed font was similarly used on the 1000 hryvnia banknote. According to font expert Bohdan Hdal, Gofman is known in typography circles for creating illegal font variants distributed without the permission of original developers.

This situation is alarming for specialists, as the use of illegal fonts could lead to legal consequences for the National Bank of Ukraine.

Bohdan Hdal, Expert

Using unlicensed fonts in the design of national currencies can result in serious legal repercussions for financial institutions and may erode public trust in government bodies. If the National Bank of Ukraine fails to provide a proper justification for the font's use, it could damage the institution's reputation and its ability to carry out its functions. Moreover, such incidents could spur stricter enforcement of copyright laws in Ukraine's design sector.