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50 Kwacha
| Issuer | Bank of Zambia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1989-1991 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Kwacha (50 ZMK) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Portrait of President Kenneth Kaunda at right, rendered in intaglio, with a Pierid butterfly vignette at centre against a multicolour geometric underprint. At left, a fish eagle in flight is engraved in blue-violet tones, with the Zambian coat of arms below centre. Denomination 'FIFTY KWACHA' appears in bold letterpress at centre, above the promise clause and the Governor's signature. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central vignette of the Freedom Statue (Independence Monument) in Lusaka flanked by workers in a copper smelting mill at right, evoking the Copperbelt industrial heritage. A zebra appears at left amid savanna scenery, set against a multicolour guilloche underprint. Denomination K50 is repeated in the corners within ornate geometric frames. |
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| Comments |
Harrison and Sons produced a substantial portion of Zambia's banknote output through this period, but the 50 Kwacha was issued against a deeply unstable monetary backdrop. Zambia had abandoned its IMF structural adjustment programme in 1987, briefly attempting price controls and subsidies before the collapse of that experiment forced a painful return to austerity by 1989. Inflation was accelerating sharply, which meant a 50 Kwacha note — meaningful currency just a few years earlier — was losing purchasing power rapidly throughout its issue window.
The Nkhoma and Bussiere signature combination places this note within a specific administrative moment at the Bank of Zambia, useful for narrowing dating within the 1989–1991 span.