{"product_id":"ethiopia-p-57-2020-w-100-birrs-2020-2012-ee-vf-blue-1","title":"Ethiopia P-57 100 Birr 2020 (2012 EE) VF+ (Very Fine Plus)—Castle— Obelisk—Cave","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking note from one of Africa's oldest civilizations, featuring two of Ethiopia's most iconic UNESCO World Heritage landmarks on a single face — the medieval castle of Emperor Fasilides in Gondar and the ancient Obelisk of Axum — printed by De La Rue on crisp paper stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e blue-green dominant engraving; light blue background; gold and orange accents\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eEmperor Fasilides' castle in Gondar, Amhara region\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eObelisk of Axum\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDenomination in Ge'ez script (፻፡ብር) and Latin (ONE HUNDRED BIRR)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIssuer name in Ge'ez (የኢትዮጵያ ብሔራዊ ባንክ) and Latin (National Bank of Ethiopia)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eBearer clause in both scripts\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nbe.gov.et\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eYinager Dessie\u003c\/a\u003e, Gov.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e brown and ochre dominant; tan background; green accents\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eSof Omar Cave in Bale Mountains National Park, Bale Province — one of the longest cave systems in Africa\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDenomination in Ge'ez (መቶ፡ብር፡) and numeral (100)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e2012 EE (2020) YD\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cstrong\u003e2015 EE (2023) YD — this note\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-57; TBB B337; Numista N#280485\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e Castle and obelisk\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 147 × 72 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e National Bank of Ethiopia (የኢትዮጵያ ብሔራዊ ባንክ)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/De_La_Rue\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDe La Rue\u003c\/a\u003e, London\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nbe.gov.et\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eYinager Dessie\u003c\/a\u003e, Gov.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ethiopian_birr\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEthiopian Birr\u003c\/a\u003e (1976–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language(s):\u003c\/strong\u003e Amharic (federal); Oromo, Somali, Tigrinya, and others at regional level\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Ethiopia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From the Greek \u003cem\u003eAithiopia\u003c\/em\u003e, meaning \"land of burnt faces\" — used by ancient Greeks to describe sub-Saharan Africa broadly; the name was adopted by the kingdom of Aksum and its successors\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Addis_Ababa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAddis Ababa\u003c\/a\u003e — city pop. ~3.9 million; metro pop. ~5.5 million\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Amharic for \"New Flower\" (አዲስ አበባ), named by Empress Taytu Betul when the capital was established in 1886\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~128 million (UN 2024) — roughly California + Texas combined\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,104,300 km² (426,400 mi²) — comparable to Texas + California + Montana\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$3,200 (IMF 2024)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Coffee, sesame, cut flowers, gold, khat, leather goods\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Eritrea (north), Djibouti (northeast), Somalia (east and southeast), Kenya (south), South Sudan (west), Sudan (northwest)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken languages:\u003c\/strong\u003e Amharic (official federal language); Oromo (~35%), Amharic (~27%), Somali (~6%), Tigrinya (~6%), and 80+ other languages\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oromo_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eOromo\u003c\/a\u003e (~35%); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amhara_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAmhara\u003c\/a\u003e (~27%); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Somali_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSomali\u003c\/a\u003e (~6%); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tigrinya_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTigrinya\u003c\/a\u003e (~6%); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sidama_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSidama\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gurage_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGurage\u003c\/a\u003e, and 80+ other groups\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/African_Union\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAfrican Union\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1963; hosts secretariat in Addis Ababa); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1945); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Intergovernmental_Authority_on_Development\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIGAD\u003c\/a\u003e (1996); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_Market_for_Eastern_and_Southern_Africa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCOMESA\u003c\/a\u003e (1994)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eKingdom of Aksum (1st–7th century AD) — one of the great ancient empires; minted its own coins; adopted Christianity in the 4th century\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eZagwe dynasty (9th–13th century) — built the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eSolomonic dynasty restored (1270–1974) — claimed descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eEmperor Fasilides (r. 1632–1667) — built the castle complex in Gondar depicted on this note; established Gondar as the imperial capital\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eBattle of Adwa (1896) — Ethiopia defeated Italy, becoming the only African nation to repel a European colonial power during the Scramble for Africa\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eItalian occupation (1936–1941) — brief Fascist occupation under Mussolini; Emperor Haile Selassie restored by Allied forces\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eHaile Selassie era (1941–1974) — modernizing monarchy; Ethiopia was a founding member of the UN and the OAU\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eDerg military junta (1974–1991) — Marxist regime; famine of 1983–85 killed ~1 million people\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eFederal Democratic Republic (1995–date) — this note issued during this period\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eEthiopia Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eEthiopia is the only country in Africa that was never colonized (the brief Italian occupation of 1936–41 notwithstanding) — a fact of enormous national pride\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIt uses its own calendar: the Ethiopian calendar has 13 months (12 of 30 days + one of 5 or 6 days) and runs ~7–8 years behind the Gregorian calendar — which is why this 2020-dated note carries the Ethiopian year 2012\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eEthiopia is the origin of coffee: the word \"coffee\" likely derives from \"Kaffa,\" a region in southwestern Ethiopia where \u003cem\u003eCoffea arabica\u003c\/em\u003e grows wild\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eAddis Ababa is the diplomatic capital of Africa — home to the African Union headquarters and more embassies than almost any other African city\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe Sof Omar Cave on the reverse is one of the longest cave systems in Africa (~15 km of passages), carved by the Web River through limestone — and is considered sacred by local Muslim communities\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eEthiopia has one of the world's fastest-growing economies over the past two decades, yet remains one of the poorest by per capita income — a paradox driven by massive infrastructure investment and a population boom\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe country has no coastline — it became landlocked in 1993 when Eritrea gained independence, cutting off access to the Red Sea ports of Massawa and Assab\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eLucy (\u003cem\u003eAustralopithecus afarensis\u003c\/em\u003e), one of the oldest known hominin fossils at 3.2 million years old, was discovered in Ethiopia's Afar region in 1974\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTwo Landmarks, One Face\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe obverse of this note is a rare double act: the \u003cstrong\u003eRoyal Enclosure of Gondar\u003c\/strong\u003e and the \u003cstrong\u003eObelisk of Axum\u003c\/strong\u003e share the same face, representing two of Ethiopia's greatest historical epochs separated by over a millennium. Fasilides' castle — a 17th-century fusion of Portuguese, Indian, and local Aksumite architectural styles — anchors the Amhara highlands. The Axum obelisk, carved from a single granite slab around the 4th century AD, once stood 24 meters tall and was looted by Mussolini's forces in 1937, only to be returned by Italy in 2008 after decades of diplomatic pressure. Both are \u003cstrong\u003eUNESCO World Heritage Sites\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eInto the Earth: Sof Omar\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse takes you underground. The \u003cstrong\u003eSof Omar Cave\u003c\/strong\u003e in the Bale Mountains is not just a geological wonder — it is a living sacred site. Named after Sheikh Sof Omar, a 12th-century Islamic scholar who used the cave as a refuge, it remains a pilgrimage destination for Ethiopian Muslims. The Web River carved its way through the limestone over millennia, creating cathedral-like chambers and arched passages that stretch for 15 kilometers. It is one of the most spectacular cave systems on the continent, and almost no one outside Ethiopia has heard of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eDe La Rue: The World's Banknote Printer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDe La Rue\u003c\/strong\u003e, founded in London in 1821, is the world's largest commercial banknote printer — producing currency for over 140 countries. Their work on Ethiopian notes reflects the National Bank's preference for high-security, internationally produced currency during this period of rapid economic growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOwn this note and hold two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your hand — plus a cave that has been sacred for 800 years. A collector's window into one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations, in Very Fine Plus condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52074904715575,"sku":"ET57-2020 (W)VF+","price":2.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/57-2020.webp?v=1780134187","url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/products\/ethiopia-p-57-2020-w-100-birrs-2020-2012-ee-vf-blue-1","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}