1000 Vatu

Obverse description	At centre-right, a vignette of a Melanesian chief standing with a spear is superimposed over the National Coat of Arms. The face bears bilingual authority inscriptions in English and French, together with the Bislama national motto, framed by guilloche underprint work across the note's field.
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Reverse description	The reverse presents a composition of traditional carved masks mounted on sticks arranged across the design, accompanied by an outline map of the Vanuatu island chain. An outrigger sailboat appears within the vignette, evoking the maritime and cultural heritage of the archipelago.
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Comments	Thomas De La Rue printed this series for the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu across a window that spans two distinct signature combinations — Virani/Molisa and then Tevi/Kalosil — making signature type the primary variable for collectors working this pick number. The transition reflects normal gubernatorial and ministerial turnover rather than any monetary crisis or reissue event. Vanuatu's currency has been independent since 1981, when the vatu replaced the New Hebrides franc at independence. The 1000 vatu denomination sits at the upper end of everyday transactional use in a small island economy heavily dependent on tourism and remittances.