The preparation to adopt the national currency started even before Lithuania reinstated its independence on 11 March 1990. Groups of specialists were formed at the Bank of Lithuania to solve various issues related to the monetary reform. When Lithuania’s economy suffered the hyperinflation of the rouble, in the summer of 1991 the Bank of Lithuania issued into circulation general coupons that were used alongside the rouble when purchasing commodity goods of high demand. On 1 May 1992, the replacement of the rouble - talonas - was issued into circulation to be used alongside the rouble. One rouble was equal to one talonas.
Talonas designs were created by artists Giedrius Jonaitis, Kazimieras Paškauskas, Raimondas Miknevičius, Justas Tolvaišis, Rytis Valantinas, Rūta Lelytė, Algė Varnaitė and Vilius Jurkūnas.
On 1 October 1992, talonas was adopted in the Republic of Lithuania as temporary money and the rouble was withdrawn from circulation. Talonas, the national monetary unit, gained the status of legal tender in Lithuania. This is the day when the national monetary system was created. In 1992, talonas banknotes of a new design were released (although talonas banknotes issued in 1991 were still valid). In 1993, AB Spindulys, a printing house in Kaunas, also printed out talonas with the denominations of 200 and 500. Talonas of different denominations featured various plants on their obverses and various animals on their reverses. Various ornaments were used as security features. All the talonas banknotes featured historic symbols of Vytis or the Columns of Gediminas.
It was also planned to release a 1,000 talonas banknote which was supposed to feature the king of the animal kingdom - a lion, but when the decision to adopt litas was made, it was no longer needed.
