Gradually, Then Suddenly
ZIM49, 2007, 200 Thousand ZWN

Slot Comment:

2nd Dollar Emergency Bearer Check AN Prefix - $200,000

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Note Details

  

Set Details
Note Description: 200,000 Dollars 2007 - Wmk: Zimbabwe Bird
Grade: 68 EPQ
Country: Zimbabwe
Note Number: ZIM49
Signatures/
Vignettes: 		- Sign. #8
Certification #: 8046923-080
Owner: Revenant
Set Category: World
Set Name: Gradually, Then Suddenly
Slot Name: ZIM49, 2007, 200 Thousand ZWN
Research: See PMG's Census Report for this Note

Owner's Description

This note is the first / lowest denomination in the 14-note, 2007-dated run of 2nd dollar bearer checks. These notes have the same 2007 date has the first several issues of the 3rd dollars - which where released in the summer of 2008. So all of these notes were most likely never meant to be made when Operation Sunrise was planned in 2005 and this 2nd half of the 2nd dollar bearer check series is basically a life-extension program for this series while they were trying to hold back the 3rd dollar notes and achieve “price stability” before releasing the new bank notes.

Where the balancing rocks are a major design feature on the front of the banknotes, with the checks of this series they appear only as part of the seal of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

On the back, the bearer checks of this series feature different designs, emphasizing things of national or cultural significance, much like the first dollar banknotes that came before them. In that regard, these bearer checks are a bit of a cross between the bearer checks and the banknotes of the first dollars in terms of design.

The back of this note features an image of the Hwange Thermal Power Station. It looks to be the same artwork used on ZIM10 and ZIM11, the 500-dollar banknotes from the 1st dollar series. This note is the only one in the 2nd dollar series that features this power plant on it. This power plant didn’t appear in the 3rd dollar series but made a comeback in the 4th dollar series on the 20-dollar note (ZIM95) AND the 50 dollar note (ZIM96).

The Hwange Thermal Power Station is the biggest power plant in Zimbabwe with an installed capacity of 920 MW. It is owned by the national electricity company, Zeza Holdings. It was built in two stages and consists of four units of 120 MW each and two units of 220 MW each. Construction of Stage 1 commenced in 1973 but was suspended in 1975 due to economic sanctions imposed on Rhodesia. Stage 1's units were commissioned from 1983 to 1986 with Stage 2's units following in 1986/87. The power plant is coal-fired. A 3.5-kilometer conveyor belt brings about 1,750 tons of coal per hour from the nearby Wankie colliery open cast mine. 250,000 tons of coal are stockpiled on site. In more modern times, technical problems due to lacking maintenance have made the plant prone to frequent production stops. In 2009, Namibia's NamPower made agreements to help ZESA to revive the plant’s capacity in exchange for power deliveries. The extensive problems are however continuing and have even led the government to considering a full close-down of the plant. In April 2008, Chadha Power of India secured a contract to refurbish four units at the power plant. In December 2015 China agreed to provide a $1.2 billion loan to add 600 MW of generating capacity to the Hwange station.

This is one of three new notes I got from my wife for this set (Zimbabwe collection overall, not just 2nd dollars) for Father’s day in 2019.

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