With the help of Sir Edmund Hillary, Canada’s banknote company has climbed its way to the top.

The explorer, famous for his 1953 ascent of Mount Everest, scales the side of New Zealand’s $5 bill, awarded Banknote of the Year 2015 by the International Banknote Society Tuesday.

The Canadian Banknote Company designed and printed the bill.

“We’re quite pleased and proud,” said Michael Delich, vice president of marketing for the company, which is also responsible for Canada’s currency. “It’s been a really productive and close collaboration with the (Reserve Bank of New Zealand).”

The note is part of New Zealand’s “Brighter Money” series — a redesign by the Canadian Banknote Company of the country’s paper money. It hadn’t been upgraded in more than 10 years, Delich says.

Like Canada’s currency, New Zealand’s $5 note is made of polymer. It’s a vivid depiction of folklore, fauna and flora rendered in “stunning orange and brown,” as the IBNS called it in a press release.

A squinting profile of Hillary, presumably beaming at the sun, appears before a background of South Island’s Mount Cook (Aoraki). On its back, purple daisies spit out of a mountainous bay off Campbell Island as a hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) looks on.

Security features are incorporated into several of its designs, including a “gorgeous polymer window” with a holographic penguin and next to it is a red and yellow Maori kaokao-patterned Tukutuku panel.

“I mean it is absolutely gorgeous,” said International Banknote Society member George LaBarre, who has collected and dealt paper money and coins among other things for 42 years and is based in Boston.

Founded in 1961, the International Banknote Society says its goal is to “promote, stimulate, and advance the study and knowledge of worldwide banknotes and paper currencies.” It has 2,000 members in 90 countries, who have the opportunity to help chose its annual Banknote of the Year.

The bill was one of 20 other nominated banknotes from countries representing four continents (Europe, Asia, South America and Africa). They included China’s 100 yuan note, Russia’s 100 ruble note, Syria’s 10,000 pound note, Gambia’s 100 dalasis note and Sweden’s 20 kronor note.

“On a scale of one to 10, it’s pretty close to a 10,” LaBarre said. “I would love to buy a hundred of this note right now because it would certainly rank in my top 100 notes of all time.”

New Zealand’s $5 and $10 were released in October and the $20, $50 and $100 bills will launch in the middle of May, completing the series.

Delich said the project to design the note began in November 2013, after it won Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s request for proposals.

The Canadian company also designed Canada’s "Journey" banknotes, of which the $20 was awarded best banknote of the year in 2004.

Noting the rising beauty in banknote design, LaBarre said, “It’ll be a sad day when paper money is totally eliminated, as some predict.”

Finalists

Sweden’s 20 Kronor note

Swedish children’s author Astrid Lindgren is this note’s star with one of her book’s characters’ Pippi Longstocking, frolicking next to her. It also features a map of Sweden and is printed by Swedish company Tumba Bruk.

Russia’s 100 Ruble note

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Russia’s 100 Ruble note features several Crimean landmarks, including Amandus Adamson’s “Monument to the Scuttled Ships” in Sevastopol Bay and St. Vladimir’s Cathedral. It is printed by Russian government-owned bank Goznak.

Kazakhstan’s 20,000 Tenge note

Kazakhstan was awarded Banknote of the Year in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Its nomination for the 2015 award is the 20,000 Tenge note. It features the Kazakh Eli monument in Astana, the country’s flag and Akorda Palace. It’s printed BFoNBK.

Scotland’s (Clydesdale Bank) 5 Pound

Scotland’s new 5 Pound note depicts civil engineer and Liberal Unionist politician William Arrol. On the back is one of the bridges he designed, Forth Bridge. It is printed by England-based De La Rue.

Guinea’s 20,000 Francs

On the front of Guinea’s 20,000 Francs is an unidentified Guinean woman and on the back is a hydroelectric dam in Kaleta. It is also printed by De La Rue.

Israel’s 200 New Shekel

Israeli writer Nathan Alterman and his poem “Eternal Meeting,” grace Israel’s 200 New Shekel note. The phrase included from the poem is “For you have stormed upon me,” according to the Bank of Israel’s website, which says the poem inspired the moon illustrated on the note.

China 100 Yuan

The floating spacecrafts on China’s 100 Yuan are the spheric Dongfanghong I satellite, Shenzhou 9 manned spacecraft and the Chang’e 1 lunar-orbiting spacecraft. The Dongfanghong I satellite, also known as China 1, was launched in 1970 and broadcasted its eponymous song, meaning “The East is Red,” in space.

Syria 10,000 Pounds

Syria’s 10,000 Pound note depicts an ancient Roman theatre in Bosra as well as Ancient Roman ruins illustrating a grape harvest in As-Suwayda. It’s printed by Russian bank Goznak.

Correction - April 28, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Canada's $20 polymer "Frontier" bank note was awarded best banknote of the year in 2004.

