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| Slot: |
1 Dollar ZIM65 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank "Replacement"
1 Dollar RB2 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird |
| Grade: |
PMG 66 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8047605-060
|
Owner Comments
This ZIM65 is a replacement note or a “star” note as they are often called because the US Federal Reserve puts a star next to the serial number on replacement notes. With most Zimbabwean 3rd dollars the serial numbers start with “AA.” With the replacement notes the serial number starts with “ZA.”
This is the lowest denomination of banknote released for the 3rd dollar. It was released into circulation on 1 Aug 2008 as part of the initial rollout of the 3rd dollar and the 2nd redenomination.
I’ve heard / seen the 3rd dollar 1-dollar denomination (ZIM65) referred to as “the perfect companion for the 100 Trillion note” (Zim91) I suppose if you’re only aware of or only care about the third dollar series or the shock value of going from a small number to a big number there’s some truth to that. But I see starting with the ZIM65 note as being like coming into a story already well in progress. It is like starting a book in the middle. It is like walking into a movie theatre 30 or 45 minutes after the movie started. Yeah, you still get to see the big finale, but there is a lot of important stuff that you missed.
A person only looking at ZIM65 and ZIM91 might never know that there were two re-denominations before Zim65 was put into circulation. Of the 25 zeros that were ultimately dropped from the currency during the Zimbabwe hyperinflation, 13 of those, just over half, were chopped off before ZIM65 was released.
The 2nd redenomination took off 10 zeros and that makes this note equal to $10,000,000,000 ZWN (10 Billion 2nd dollars). That makes this note a fairly logical next step from the $500 Million notes that were the last of the 2nd dollar bearer check series. That skips a $1 Billion and 5 billion equivalent note, but skipped denominations are far from unheard of in this series / note progression. This valuation has the first few notes of the 3rd dollar series overlapping with that of the Special Agro Checks Series to some degree, but this is consistent with what was seen with the 1st denomination, and it should be remembered that the Agro Checks originally were not intended for general circulation.
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.
The 1 dollar banknote uses an image of Victoria Falls and an image of a Cape Buffalo (African Buffalo). The image of Victoria Falls looks like it might be a re-use of the artwork previously used on ZIM30, ZIM32, ZIM40, and ZIM41 – but I cannot be sure. This image of the falls also appears on ZIM73 (20,000 ZWR) and ZIM91 (100 Trillion ZWR). The Cape Buffalo image was also used on ZIM75 (100 000 ZWR), ZIM79 (50 Million ZWR) and ZIM91 (100 Trillion ZWR). The Cape Buffalo is a popular target for recreational / sport hunting by tourists. ZIM65 uses the same images as ZIM91 (100 Trillion ZWR), in the same positions, with different colors applied. This does, admittedly, in some ways support the argument that the two notes make a great pairing, bookending the 3rd dollar series with almost identical designs.
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| Slot: |
5 Dollars ZIM66 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
5 Dollars 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird & 5 |
| Grade: |
PMG 67 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046904-051
|
Owner Comments
Some of the worst historical hyperinflation events include (per a 2013 business insider article):
1: Hungary, Aug 1945–Jul 1946 (daily inflation rate: 207%)
2: Zimbabwe, Mar 2007–Nov 2008 (98%)
3: Yugoslavia, Apr 1992–Jan 1994 (65%)
4: Weimar Germany, Aug 1922–Dec 1923 (21%)
5: Greece, May 1941–Dec 1945 (18%)
6: China, Oct 1947–May 1949 (14%)
7: Peru, July1990–Aug 1990 (5%)
8: France, May 1795–Nov 1796 (5%)
9: Nicaragua, Jun 1986–Mar 1991 (5%)
Hanke and Crus (2012), listed 56 hyperinflations in history. These include:
Georgia (Mar 1992-Apr 1992)
Argentina (May 1989–Mar 1990)
Bolivia (Apr 1984–Sep 1985)
Belarus (Jan 1992–Feb 1992)
Kyrgyzstan (Jan 1992–Jan 1992)
Kazakhstan (Jan 1992–Jan 1992)
Kazakhstan (Nov 1993–Nov 1993)
Austria (Oct 1921–Sep 1922)
Bulgaria (Feb 1991–Mar 1991)
Uzbekistan (Jan 1992–Feb 1992)
Azerbaijan (Jan 1992–Dec 1994)
Congo (Oct 1991–Sep 1992)
Peru (Sep 1988–Sep 1988)
Taiwan (Oct 1948–May 1949)
Hungary (Mar 1923–Feb 1924)
Chile (Oct 1973–Oct 1973)
Estonia (Jan 1992–Feb 1992)
Angola (Dec 1994–Jan 1997)
Brazil (Dec 1989–Mar 1990)
Democratic Republic of Congo (Aug 1998–Aug 1998)
Poland (Oct 1989–Jan 1990)
Armenia (Jan 1992–Feb 1992)
Tajikistan (Oct 1995–Nov 1995)
Latvia (Jan 1992–Jan 1992)
Turkmenistan (Nov 1995–Jan 1996)
Philippines (Jan 1944–Dec 1944)
Yugoslavia (Sep 1989–Dec 1989)
Lithuania (Jan 1992–Jan 1992)
Belarus (Aug 1994–Aug 1994)
Taiwan (Feb 1947-Feb 1947)
Germany (Jan 1920–Jan 1920)
Looking at that data, it can be seen that several Western European nations experienced hyperinflation together in the early 1920s and each was counted as a separate event by Hanke and Crus even though these are all linked events related to the end of WWI. The same is true of some of the events in the mid-1940s with regard to WWII. Several Eastern European countries experienced hyperinflation together in the first part of 1992. For some of these countries it ended in a month or two, where for others it lasted into 1994. Again, Hanke and Crus treat these as independent events in their listing. It is also worth noting that this listing treats a hyper-inflation event as only the time during which the country’s inflation rate meets the official definition for hyperinflation. If inflation slows for a time, but then shortly thereafter reaccelerates, they treat it as two separate hyperinflation events. Such was the case for Germany in the 1920s and Hungary in the 1940s per that listing. Based on this, listing 56 hyperinflation events might be overstating the count to some degree. However, it shows that hyperinflation events aren’t all that uncommon. That list also does not include hyperinflations in ancient Rome, the hyperinflation of the Confederate currency in the American civil war, and a few others that are known to have occurred historically.
Unofficial data from North Korea, based on the price or rice, and black-market exchange rates, that nation experienced hyperinflation from Dec 2009 to January 2011.
Venezuela began to experience hyperinflation (instead of just really severe inflation) in November 2016 and is still experiencing hyperinflation as of 2019. The country currently has the highest inflation rate in the world.
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 5 dollar banknote features an image of the Kariba dam and an image of an elephant. While Kariba Dam has appeared on Zimbabwean banknotes all the way back to the beginning, with ZIM1, this artwork does not appear to be the same as any of those used in previous series. This artwork seems to have premiered with the Third Dollar series, on this note. This image of the dam also appears on ZIM90 (50 Trillion). The image of the elephant used here also appears on ZIM75 (100 000 ZWR), ZIM83 (1 Billion ZWR) and ZIM90 (50 Trillion ZWR). Elephants appear on the backs of 1st dollar and 2nd dollar issues but this appears to be artwork introduced with the 3rd dollar.
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| Slot: |
10 Dollars ZIM67 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
10 Dollars 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird & 10 |
| Grade: |
PMG 69 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046904-029
|
Owner Comments
This note is currently unique in my collection in that it carries a grade of 69 EPQ. I have a few others that are 68 EPQs but no other 69 EPQs. Notes with grades that high tend to have very high prices attached to them but I was fortunate enough to get this one from a reputable dealer that was still willing to part with it for a price that wasn’t in the hundreds or thousands of dollars – I suspect this is because 1) they had 6 of these in this grade and didn’t want them on inventory until doomsday and 2) this is middle-of-the-series note in relatively low demand. Most people want the ZIM91 (100 Trillion), a few of those collect the full, 4-note, trillions series. Some want the ZIM65 (1 dollar) to go with the 100 trillion note. Relatively few want the full, 27-note, 3rd dollar series and only some of those want to collect the series as a graded set. That makes the market for these thin. Only 27 of these notes have been graded by PMG as of the time I am writing this (May 2019) and a staggering 17 of the them – more than half the PMG graded population – are graded 69 EPQ. Somewhere along the way, someone struck gold with a pristine pack of these ZIM67 notes. Good for them. I am glad they saw what they had and sent them in for grading. Otherwise, I don’t think I ever would have gotten this on sale for $24.
This is one of my favorite notes of the series because I love the colors. I think I still like the 100 dollar note (ZIM69) more, but I definitely love the greens of this note. I think I might rank this one #3, a close contender behind ZIM69 and ZIM70 (500 dollars). The 1000 dollar note (ZIM71) would be a strong contender in that mix too though. All of these notes, of course, are in the initial group of 2007 dated notes that were released on Aug 1, 2008. The notes from ZIM72 through ZIM73 generally don’t pop as well as these earlier notes in the series. I guess they used up all the prettiest color schemes with the initial batch of designs / denominations. But then, I am sure there are those that would disagree with me.
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The back of this 10 dollar note has an image of a tractor in a field and an image of some grain silos. The image of the tractor also appears on ZIM74 (50,000 ZWR), and ZIM84 (5 Billion ZWR). The grain silos image also appears on ZIM80 (100 Million ZWR) and ZIM89 (20 Trillion ZWR).
This is one of three new notes I got from my wife for this set (Zimbabwe collection overall, not just 3rd dollars) for Father’s day in 2019.
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| Slot: |
20 Dollars ZIM68 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
20 Dollars 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird & 20 |
| Grade: |
PMG 67 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046904-003
|
Owner Comments
I was somewhat surprised when I saw the serial number on this note and that it has an “AF” prefix. It is relatively rare in my experience to see 3rd dollar notes with prefixes higher than “AD.”
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.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The back of this 20 dollar note has an image of a grain stockpile and an image of a miner. The grain stockpile image also appears on ZIM80 (100 Million ZWR). The miner image also appears on ZIM68 (20 ZWR), ZIM82 (500 Million ZWR), ZIM85 (10 Billion ZWR) and ZIM88 (20 Trillion ZWR).
While the amount of arable land in Zimbabwe is relatively small, the nation was a great agricultural producer and Zimbabwe’s agricultural industry was very well performing until 2001, when land re-distribution policies instituted by the government caused massive upheaval. At its peak agriculture was one third of national GDP. In 2015, agriculture was still about 18% of Zimbabwe’s GDP. In 2021 it was 17% of GDP, but the agricultural industry employs 60-70 of the working population.
Mining has also long been a major industry in Zimbabwe with the major export / mined resource being Gold. As of 2021 mining accounted for about 12% of national GDP. It seems as though, once agriculture collapsed, the mining industry became one of the few remaining sources for foreign money to flow into the country. When the economy started to “dollarize” the miners were some of the first ones to want to be paid in something other than Zimbabwean dollars.
It seems to have been a popular move during the design and printing of the third dollars to pair the image of the miner with images relating to farming and agriculture – highlighting two of the country’s major industries together.
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| Slot: |
100 Dollars ZIM69 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank "Replacement"
100 Dollars RH3 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird |
| Grade: |
PMG 67 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
1625509-039
|
Owner Comments
The 100 dollar 3rd dollar note was released on 1 Aug 2008, with the introduction / launch of the 3rd dollar itself and the 2nd redenomination.
This ZIM69 is a replacement note or a “star” note as they are often called because the US Federal Reserve puts a star next to the serial number on replacement notes. With most Zimbabwean 3rd dollars the serial numbers start with “AA.” With the replacement notes the serial number starts with “ZA.”
I really love the look of this note. I think the colors on it are fantastic and make it one of the prettier notes in the third dollar series. Throughout this 27 note series they got to play with a lot of different color schemes / combinations but in my opinion this is easily one of the best if not the best of the ones I’ve gotten to see face-to-face so far. I love the blues and I think the accent coloring provided by the greens, especially in the lettering for the denomination, makes this note look great.
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 100 dollar banknote shows and image of the Great Zimbabwe ruins and an image of a Zimbabwe Aloe in a valley complex of the Great Zimbabwe ruins. The Zimbabwe Aloe (aloe excelsa) is usually about 3 meters (10 feet) tall but can reach up to 5-6 meters (up to 20 feet). Many of the plants can be found amongst the Great Zimbabwe ruins but it grows in a relatively small part of Africa, mostly confined to Zimbabwe and the nation of South Africa. Depictions of the Great Zimbabwe ruins are seen as far back as the 1st dollar, with ZIM8. However, this appears to be artwork introduced with the 3rd dollar series and it was a heavily used fixture of the series. It appears on ZIM77 (1 Million ZWR), ZIM78 (10 Million ZWR), ZIM79 (50 Million ZWR), ZIM87 (50 Billion ZWR), ZIM86 (20 Billion ZWR) and ZIM88 (10 Trillion ZWR). The Zimbabwe Aloe image also appears on ZIM76 (500 000 ZWR), ZIM83 (1 Billion ZWR) and ZIM86 (20 Billion ZWR). The 100 dollar and 20 Billion dollar banknotes (ZIM69 and 86) use the same images, but the positions of the images are reversed, and the banknotes use different colors.
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| Slot: |
500 Dollars ZIM70 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank "Replacement"
500 Dollars RI5 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird |
| Grade: |
PMG 66 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8047641-019
|
Owner Comments
This ZIM70 is a replacement note or a “star” note as they are often called because the US Federal Reserve puts a star next to the serial number on replacement notes. With most Zimbabwean 3rd dollars the serial numbers start with “AA.” With the replacement notes the serial number starts with “ZA.”
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 500 dollar banknote features an image of a cattle farm and another of some cattle. The cattle farm image also appears on ZIM76 (500,000 ZWR), ZIM82 (500 Million ZWR), and ZIM84 (5 Billion ZWR). The cattle image reappears only on ZIM77 (1 Million ZWR).
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| Slot: |
1,000 Dollars ZIM71 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
1000 Dollars 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird |
| Grade: |
PMG 66 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046927-039
|
Owner Comments
This was the highest denomination included with the initial rollout of the 3rd dollar on 1 Aug 2008.
To provide some insight into just how quickly the denominations were increasing and how quickly the Zimbabwean dollar was losing value at the end I have included the following timeline:
29 Sep 2008 - $10 000 and 20 000 banknotes released
11 Oct 2008 - $50 000 banknote announced
03 Nov 2008 - $100 000, $500 000, $1 Million banknotes announced
03 Dec 2008 - $10 Million, $50 Million, $100 Million banknotes announced
12 Dec 2008 - $200 Million, $500 Million banknotes announced.
19 Dec 2008 - $1 Billion, $5 Billion, $10 Billion banknotes announced.
10 Jan 2009 - $20 Billion, $50 Billion banknotes announced.
16 Jan 2009 - $10 Trillion, $20 Trillion, $50 Trillion, $100 Trillion banknotes announced.
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.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 1,000 dollar banknote features an image of Anglican St Mary’s Cathedral and the Parliament Building and an image of The Reserve Bank Tower - home of the RBZ, completed in 1997. The image of the Cathedra and Parliament Building also appears on ZIM78 (10 Million ZWR) and ZIM81 (200 Million ZWR). The image of the RBZ Tower also appears on ZIM87 (50 Billion ZWR) and ZIM88 (10 Trillion ZWR).
St. Mary’s Cathedral is the oldest church in Zimbabwe, located in Bulawayo. The foundation stone was laid in 1903, by Jesuits. The original Jesuit mission had been started in 1879. In 2013 – after this note was printed and Zimbabwe suspended its currency – it became the first Minor Basilica in the SADC (South Africa Development Community).
The Parliament building that is shown in this note is the historical building that the Parliament has been in and should not be confused with the new one that Zimbabwe started building in 2018 and which was still being built in 2021. This old structure is right next to the Cathedral, dates to the late 1800s/early 1900s and actually started its existence as a hotel before it was sold to the governing organization at the time. Isn’t history funny?
This note is one of five that my wife and I ordered together as my 3rd anniversary present from her.
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| Slot: |
10,000 Dollars ZIM72 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
10,000 Dollars 2008 - Sign. #8 |
| Grade: |
PMG 66 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8086850-020
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Owner Comments
Most people probably think the 100 Trillion note (the P-91) is the crown jewel of a Zimbabwe note collection, but I can’t agree with that. I think that honor goes to the P-72.
Where many if not most of the notes in this series could be had in 2021 in 68EPQ for about $30-50 You often see sellers asking for $250-500 for this note in 66EPQ. While the P-91 is the 2nd most valuable note in the series, and, while you often see people ask crazy money for them you can actually get a P-91 in 66EPQ for $100-150 as of 2021 and you can sometimes get a 68EPQ for about $250.
Why are these P-72s so expensive? Because these seem to be comparatively much harder to get in Uncirculated condition. Even many sets of third dollar notes from P-65 to P-91 are “complete” except for this note.
Why? I honestly have no idea. I’ve never found anything that would explain it. But I do think that these really are relatively rare. Because, if someone had a huge stockpile of these and knew they could get $100-250 each for them, I assume those notes would hit the market and we’d see the prices come down.
The P-72 is the first 2008-dated note in the series - the first denomination that goes beyond the initially planned and intended run of 2007 dated notes that ended at the P-71, $1000 note. These were released with the P-73 at the tail end of September 2008, less than 2 months after the 2007-dated series hit the streets on August 1, 2008. The release of the P-73 at the same time is the only thing I have found that might explain why the P-72 seems so rare by comparison. It could be that, at that point, before this series became famous for the Billions and the Trillions, maybe everyone rushed to save and collect the 20,000 P-73 and this one slipped through the cracks. But I’m not sure that explanation is entirely satisfying - almost all the later notes were released in batches of 2-4 denominations and none of the other denominations have the rarity of this one. They’re all common and available. But maybe it happened here because these were the first notes to start the rapid, horrifying ramp up to 100 trillion that grabbed global headlines in the 2nd half of 2008.
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.
The back side of the ZWD banknotes all feature a pair of images that have national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series. The 10,000 ZWR banknote features two images of agricultural / farm equipment on the back. I’ve seen sources that refer to both of these as images of tractors, but I think only the 2nd / right image is of a tractor. I think the 1st / left image is a combine or a harvester.
Adding another layer of interest and intrigue to this note, it is unique amongst the 3rd dollar series for featuring two images that are not used anywhere else in the series. There are other images in the series that feature a tractor working in a field, but that artwork does not match either of the images on this note. There is another instance were one of the images on the backs of these notes was only used once – the image of the monument to the unknown soldier on P-81 was only used on that note. However, that note has a 2nd image that was also used on two other notes in the series. There are no other notes in the series that have two unique images. The fact that both images use an agricultural theme makes it just a little more interesting.
While the amount of arable land in Zimbabwe is relatively small, the nation was a great agricultural producer and Zimbabwe’s agricultural industry was very well performing until 2001, when land re-distribution policies instituted by the government caused massive upheaval. At its peak agriculture was one third of national GDP. In 2015, agriculture was still about 18% of Zimbabwe’s GDP. In 2021 it was 17% of GDP, but the agricultural industry employs 60-70 of the working population.
My wonderful wife, who has always been fantastically supportive and tolerant of my insanity when it comes to this set, let me get this as a birthday present for my 35th birthday – relieving her of the annoyance of shopping for me and letting me finally bring my 3rd dollar set to 100% complete in the registry in mid-October 2021.
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| Slot: |
20,000 Dollars ZIM73 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
20,000 Dollars 2008 - Plain Paper |
| Grade: |
PMG 66 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046927-047
|
Owner Comments
This note and the P-72 were the first 2008-dated notes to be released and expand on the 2007-dated series that formed the initial run of the 3rd dollar (from P-65 to P-71). They were released in late September 2008, less than 2 full months behind the release of the 2007-dated notes. New, higher denominations would start coming with ever increasing frequency after that.
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 20,000 ZWR banknote features an image of Victoria Falls and another of the Kariba Dam. The image of Victoria Falls looks like it might be a re-use of the artwork previously used on ZIM30, ZIM32, ZIM40, and ZIM41 – but I cannot be sure. This image of the falls also appears on ZIM65 (1 ZWR) and ZIM91 (100 Trillion). While Kariba Dam has appeared on Zimbabwean banknotes all the way back to the beginning, with ZIM1, this artwork does not appear to be the same as any of those used in previous series. This artwork seems to have premiered with the Third Dollar series. This image of the dam also appears on ZIM66 (5 ZWR), ZIM85 (10 Billion ZWR), and ZIM90 (50 Trillion ZWR) – however, the image on this note appears to have been flipped horizontally, as compared to the image on the other three notes.
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| Slot: |
50,000 Dollars ZIM74 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
50,000 Dollars 2008 - Plain Paper |
| Grade: |
PMG 68 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8091492-003
|
Owner Comments
The release of this note was announced on October 11th, 2008.
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The back of this note has an image of a tractor in a field and an image of a miner. The image of the tractor also appears on ZIM67 (10 ZWR), and ZIM84 (5 Billion ZWR). The miner image also appears on ZIM68 (20 ZWR), ZIM82 (500 Million ZWR), ZIM85 (10 Billion ZWR) and ZIM88 (20 Trillion ZWR).
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| Slot: |
100,000 Dollars ZIM75 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
100,000 Dollars 2008 |
| Grade: |
PMG 67 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046927-075
|
Owner Comments
The release of this note was announced on November 3rd, 2008.
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The back of this note shows an image of a Cape Buffalo and another of an elephant. The Cape Buffalo image was also used on ZIM65 (1 ZWR), ZIM79 (50 Million ZWR), and ZIM91 (100 Trillion). The Cape Buffalo is a popular target for recreational / sport hunting by tourists. The image of the elephant used here also appears on ZIM66 (5 ZWR), ZIM83 (1 Billion ZWR) and ZIM90 (50 Trillion ZWR). Elephants appear on the backs of 1st dollar and 2nd dollar issues but this appears to be artwork introduced with the 3rd dollar.
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| Slot: |
500,000 Dollars ZIM76 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank "Replacement"
500,000 Dollars RR2 2008 - Plain Paper |
| Grade: |
PMG 66 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
1607076-060
|
Owner Comments
The release of this note was announced on 03 Nov 2008.
This ZIM76 is a replacement note or a “star” note as they are often called because the US Federal Reserve puts a star next to the serial number on replacement notes. With most Zimbabwean 3rd dollars the serial numbers start with “AA.” With the replacement notes the serial number starts with “ZA.”
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 500,000 dollar banknote features an image of the Zimbabwe Aloe in the Great Zimbabwe ruins and an image of a cattle farm. The Zimbabwe Aloe (aloe excelsa) is usually about 3 meters (10 feet) tall but can reach up to 5-6 meters (up to 20 feet). Many of the plants can be found amongst the Great Zimbabwe ruins but it grows in a relatively small part of Africa, mostly confined to Zimbabwe and the nation of South Africa. The Zimbabwe Aloe image also appears on ZIM69 (100 ZWR), ZIM83 (1 Billion ZWR), and ZIM86 (20 Billion ZWR). The cattle farm image also appears on ZIM70 (500 ZWR), ZIM82 (500 Million ZWR), and ZIM84 (5 Billion ZWR).
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| Slot: |
1 Million Dollars ZIM77 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
1 Million Dollars 2008 |
| Grade: |
PMG 67 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8077710-004
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Owner Comments
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.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 1 Million dollar banknote features an image of the Great Zimbabwe ruins and an image of some cattle. Depictions of the Great Zimbabwe ruins are seen as far back as the 1st dollar, with ZIM8. However, this appears to be artwork introduced with the 3rd dollar series and it was a heavily used fixture of the series. It appears on ZIM69 (100 ZWR), ZIM78 (10 Million ZWR), ZIM79 (50 Million ZWR), ZIM87 (50 Billion ZWR), ZIM86 (20 Billion ZWR) and ZIM88 (10 Trillion ZWR). The cattle image reappears only on ZIM70 (500 ZWR) where it appears alongside an image of a cattle farm.
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| Slot: |
10 Million Dollars ZIM78 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
10 Million Dollars 2008 |
| Grade: |
PMG 67 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046939-083
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Owner Comments
The release of this banknote was announced on 3 Dec 2008.
About a week before this note and its cohorts (ZIM79 and ZIM80) were released a Southern African Development Community (SADC) tribunal ruled on 28 Nov 2008 that the expropriation of farms from 78 farmers (see P-5 descriptions for more on the land seizure program and its consequences) was illegal. However, none of the countries that are part of the SADC were willing to do anything to enforce the ruling and the response from the Mugabe government, per a January 2009 article from the South African “Digital Journal,” was to send men out to assault 5 of the farmers that participated in the suit. The article from the Digital Journal also cites an example where a 400-hectare farm was seized and the government allowed all but 5 hectares of it to sit fallow and unused, which probably goes a long way towards explaining why agricultural production dropped by over 40% after the farm expropriations started.
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.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 10 Million dollar banknote features an image of Anglican St Mary’s Cathedral and the Parliament Building, and an image of the Great Zimbabwe ruins. The image of the Cathedral and Parliament Building also appears on ZIM71 (1000 ZWR), and ZIM81 (200 Million ZWR). Depictions of the Great Zimbabwe ruins are seen as far back as the 1st dollar, with ZIM8. However, this appears to be artwork introduced with the 3rd dollar series and it was a heavily used fixture of the series. It appears on ZIM69 (100 ZWR), ZIM77 (1 Million ZWR), ZIM79 (50 Million ZWR), ZIM87 (50 Billion ZWR), ZIM86 (20 Billion ZWR) and ZIM88 (10 Trillion ZWR).
St. Mary’s Cathedral is the oldest church in Zimbabwe, located in Bulawayo. The foundation stone was laid in 1903, by Jesuits. The original Jesuit mission had been started in 1879. In 2013 – after this note was printed and Zimbabwe suspended its currency – it became the first Minor Basilica in the SADC (South Africa Development Community).
The Parliament building that is shown in this note is the historical building that the Parliament has been in and should not be confused with the new one that Zimbabwe started building in 2018 and which was still being built in 2021. This old structure is right next to the Cathedral, dates to the late 1800s/early 1900s and actually started its existence as a hotel before it was sold to the governing organization at the time. Isn’t history funny?
See ZIM8 for more discussion on the Great Zimbabwe Ruins.
This is one of three new notes I got from my wife for this set (Zimbabwe collection overall, not just 3rd dollars) for Father’s day in 2019.
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| Slot: |
50 Million Dollars ZIM79 |
| Item: |
Zimbabwe, Reserve Bank
50 Million Dollars 2008 |
| Grade: |
PMG 66 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
8046945-001
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Owner Comments
The release of this banknote was announced on 3 Dec 2008.
About a week before this note and its cohorts (ZIM78 and ZIM80) were released a Southern African Development Community (SADC) tribunal ruled on 28 Nov 2008 that the expropriation of farms from 78 farmers (see P-5 descriptions for more on the land seizure program and its consequences) was illegal. However, none of the countries that are part of the SADC were willing to do anything to enforce the ruling and the response from the Mugabe government, per a January 2009 article from the South African “Digital Journal,” was to send men out to assault 5 of the farmers that participated in the suit. The article from the Digital Journal also cites an example where a 400 hectare farm was seized and the government allowed all but 5 hectares of it to sit fallow and unused, which probably goes a long way towards explaining why agricultural production dropped by over 40% after the farm expropriations started.
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 really unique and interesting formations.
The back side of the Trillions Series banknotes all feature a pair of images that have some kind of national, cultural or economic significance to Zimbabwe. These images are different on each denomination though some of the images seem to have been used more than once on different denominations throughout the series.
The 50 Million dollar banknote features an image of an Cape Buffalo (African Buffalo) and an image of the Great Zimbabwe ruins. The Cape Buffalo image was also used on ZIM65 (1 ZWR), ZIM75 (100 000 ZWR), and ZIM91 (100 Trillion). The Cape Buffalo is a popular target for recreational / sport hunting by tourists. Depictions of the Great Zimbabwe Ruins are seen as far back as the 1st dollar, with ZIM8. However, this appears to be artwork introduced with the 3rd dollar series and it was a heavily used fixture of the series. It appears on ZIM69 (100 ZWR) ZIM77 (1 Million ZWR) ZIM78 (10 Million ZWR), ZIM86 (20 Billion ZWR), ZIM87 (50 Billion ZWR), and ZIM88 (10 Trillion ZWR).
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