Catalog
100 000 Dollars Emergency Bearer Cheque
| Issuer | Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The obverse carries the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe logo at upper left, with the denomination 100,000 DOLLARS rendered in large numerals at either side. A vignette of the Flame Lily, Zimbabwe's national flower, appears as a central underprint motif. The face of the note is structured as a formal bearer cheque, with the issuing authority text and payment terms set in letterpress across the centre, framed by guilloche patterning. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Signature(s) | Dr. Gideon Gono (Sig.8) |
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| Comments |
Zimbabwe's 2005 bearer cheques were a bureaucratic workaround — the Reserve Bank lacked legal authority to issue banknotes above certain denominations without parliamentary approval, so these instruments were classified as cheques rather than currency. The distinction was entirely nominal; they circulated as cash and were accepted as such.
The 100,000 dollar face value, which would have been substantial a year earlier, was already losing ground to inflation that the government's own statistics significantly understated. The relatively high print run of over twelve million reflects how quickly demand for high-denomination paper outpaced supply during this period.