100 000 Meticais

By 1993, Mozambique was nearing the end of a sixteen-year civil war between FRELIMO and RENAMO that had effectively destroyed the formal economy. The 100,000 Meticais denomination — unthinkable at independence in 1975, when the Metical replaced the colonial Escudo at par — reflects cumulative inflation that had rendered smaller notes nearly worthless in day-to-day transactions.

Thomas De La Rue's involvement brought watermark and security thread protection to a note that was, in practical terms, circulating in a country with barely functioning banking infrastructure. The denomination was demonetized when Mozambique redenominated in 2006, replacing 1,000 old Meticais with one new Metical.