100 Dobras

São Tomé and Príncipe gained independence from Portugal in July 1975, and the new Banco Nacional needed an entirely fresh currency to replace the colonial escudo. This 1977 series was among the first issues the bank commissioned, with Bradbury Wilkinson — then still operating out of New Malden before its eventual absorption into De La Rue — handling the contract. The firm had a long relationship with newly independent African states during this period, producing first-issue notes for several governments navigating the transition away from colonial monetary systems.

The dobra was introduced at par with the escudo it replaced, though the practical purchasing relationship shifted quickly given the country's economic difficulties following independence.