Gradually, Then Suddenly
ZIM9, 1995, 100 ZWD

Slot Comment:

1st Dollar Banknote JB Prefix

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Note Details

  

Set Details
Note Description: 100 Dollars 1995
Grade: 68 EPQ
Country: Zimbabwe
Note Number: ZIM9
Signatures/
Vignettes: 		- Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird
Certification #: 8070276-003
Owner: Revenant
Set Category: World
Set Name: Gradually, Then Suddenly
Slot Name: ZIM9, 1995, 100 ZWD
Research: See PMG's Census Report for this Note

Owner's Description

When the Zimbabwe dollar was introduced in 1980, they didn’t have $50 or $100 notes - the denominations topped out at $20. The introduction of this note in 1995 is therefore one of the first signs in the currency itself that the Zimbabwe dollar’s value was in serious decline, it was taking more dollars to buy things, and that larger denominations would be needed going forward. The official inflation rate in 1995 was 28%. The first $500 note followed in 2001 - the first year in which inflation exceeded 100%, with an official rate of 112.1%.

The Zimbabwe regular banknotes feature an image of the Chiremba balancing rock formation - three balancing rocks that are in Matobo National Park. The image of the stones was chosen as a metaphor for balancing development and environmental protection following the country’s transition from white-ruled Rhodesia to the majority black ruled Zimbabwe. The Matobo Hills are composed entirely of granite and it makes for some unique and interesting formations.

On the back this note shows an image of Kariba dam, but it’s not the same image that originated on P-1 (along with an image of a tigerfish). Unlike the design from the P-1 note, which was re-used over and over again in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th dollar series, I’ve only seen one later note that appears to re-use this artwork – the P-45, 5,000-dollar note of the 2nd dollar series

The Kariba Dam is a double curvature concrete arch dam in the Kariba Gorge of the Zambezi river basin between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The dam stands 128 meters (420 feet) tall and 579 meters (1,900 feet) long. The dam forms Lake Kariba which extends for 280 kilometers (170 miles) and holds 185 cubic kilometers (150,000,000 acre-ft) of water. It was designed by Coyne et Bellier and constructed between 1955 and 1959 by Impresit of Italy at a cost of $135,000,000 for the first stage with only the Kariba South power cavern. Final construction and the addition of the Kariba North Power cavern by Mitchell Construction was not completed until 1977 due to largely political problems for a total cost of $480,000,000. During construction, 86 men lost their lives.

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