Ethiopia P-57 100 Birr 2023 (2015 EE) VF+ (Very Fine Plus)—Castle— Obelisk—Cave

Ethiopia's 100 Birr note is a striking piece of East African numismatic history — anchored by two of the country's most iconic ancient monuments on the front and one of the world's most spectacular cave systems on the back. Printed by the legendary De La Rue of London, this is a note that rewards the collector who looks closely.

Front

• Colors: blue (dominant engraving), green (background), gold accents
• Emperor Fasilides' castle in Gondar, Amhara region — the centerpiece of the Royal Enclosure (Fasil Ghebbi), a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Obelisk of Axum — one of the great monolithic stelae of the ancient Aksumite Empire
• Denomination in Ge'ez (፻፡ብር) and Latin (ONE HUNDRED BIRR)
• Scripts: Ge'ez and Latin
• Signatures: Yinager Dessie, Gov., National Bank of Ethiopia

Back

• Colors: blue-green (dominant), brown accents
• Sof Omar Cave in Bale Mountains National Park, Bale Province — one of the longest cave systems in Africa, carved by the Web River through limestone
• Denomination in Ge'ez (መቶ፡ብር፡ / ፻፡ብር) and numeral (100)
• Script: Ge'ez

Other Characteristics

• Varieties: 2012 (2020) YD; 2015 (2023) YD — this note
• Catalog numbers: P-57; TBB B337; Numista N#280485
• Watermark: Castle and obelisk
• Composition: Paper
• Size: 147 × 72 mm
• Issuing entity: National Bank of Ethiopia (የኢትዮጵያ ብሔራዊ ባንክ)
• Printer: De La Rue, London
• Demonetized: No — demonetization status current as of listing
• Signatures: Yinager Dessie, Gov.
• Currency: Ethiopian Birr (1976–date)
• Official language(s): Amharic (federal); numerous regional languages recognized

About Ethiopia

• Origin of name: From the Greek Aithiopia, derived from aithiops — "burnt face" — a term ancient Greeks used for sub-Saharan Africans; also linked to the legendary King Ethiopis, son of Cush
• Capital: Addis Ababa (city pop. ~3.9 million; metro ~5.5 million)
  • Origin of name: Amharic for "New Flower" — named by Empress Taytu Betul when the capital was established in 1886
• Population: ~130 million (UN 2024) — comparable to Mexico or the combined populations of Germany and France
• Area: 1,104,300 km² (426,400 mi²) — slightly larger than Texas and California combined; comparable to Egypt
• GDP per capita (PPP): ~$3,200 (IMF 2024)
• Main exports: Coffee, sesame, cut flowers, gold, khat, leather goods
• Borders: Eritrea (north), Djibouti (northeast), Somalia (east and southeast), Kenya (south), South Sudan (west), Sudan (northwest)
• Official/spoken languages: Amharic (official federal language); Oromo, Somali, Tigrinya, Sidamo, and 80+ other languages spoken across regions
• Ethnicities: Oromo (~35%); Amhara (~27%); Somali (~6%); Tigrinya (~6%); Sidama (~4%); others
• Memberships: African Union (founding member, 1963 — hosts AU secretariat in Addis Ababa); United Nations (founding member, 1945); Non-Aligned Movement; COMESA;
• Sovereignty:
  • Ancient Aksumite Empire (1st–7th century AD) — one of the great trading civilizations of antiquity; adopted Christianity in the 4th century
  • Zagwe dynasty (9th–13th century) — builders of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela
  • Solomonic dynasty restored (1270–1974) — claimed descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
  • Emperor Fasilides (r. 1632–1667) — built the Royal Enclosure at Gondar, depicted on this note
  • Battle of Adwa (1896) — Ethiopia defeats Italy, becoming the only African nation to repel a European colonial power during the Scramble for Africa
  • Italian occupation (1936–1941) — brief Fascist occupation under Mussolini; Emperor Haile Selassie restored by Allied forces
  • Haile Selassie era (1941–1974) — modernizing monarchy; Ethiopia joins the UN as a founding member
  • Derg military junta (1974–1991) — Marxist-Leninist regime; Red Terror; devastating famines
  • Federal Democratic Republic (1995–date) — this note issued during this period

Ethiopia Unfiltered

• Ethiopia is the only country in Africa never to have been fully colonized — the 1896 Battle of Adwa, where Emperor Menelik II crushed an Italian invasion force, remains one of the most consequential military upsets in modern history
• Ethiopia uses its own calendar — the Ethiopian calendar has 13 months (12 of 30 days, plus a 13th month of 5 or 6 days) and runs roughly 7–8 years behind the Gregorian calendar; the year 2015 EE = 2023 CE
• Coffee was born here — the word "coffee" traces to the Kaffa region of Ethiopia, where Coffea arabica grows wild; Ethiopia remains the world's largest coffee producer in Africa and fifth globally
• Addis Ababa is the diplomatic capital of Africa — it hosts the African Union headquarters, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and more embassies than almost any other African city
• The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest and lowest places on Earth — averaging 34°C year-round, with active lava lakes and neon-yellow sulfur springs that look like another planet
• Ethiopia has one of the world's oldest Christian traditions — the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church dates to the 4th century AD, predating most European Christian institutions
• The country is landlocked — Ethiopia lost its coastline when Eritrea gained independence in 1993, making it the world's most populous landlocked nation

Two Monuments, One Note

The front of this 100 Birr note is a quiet declaration of Ethiopian civilization. Fasilides' Castle in Gondar was built in the 1630s by an emperor who wanted to end centuries of wandering — Ethiopia's royal court had no fixed capital until Fasilides planted his flag in the highlands of Amhara. The result was a walled city of palaces, churches, and baths that still stands today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beside it rises the Obelisk of Axum — a 1,700-year-old monolithic stele from the Aksumite Empire, one of the ancient world's great trading powers. The obelisk was looted by Mussolini's forces in 1937, stood in Rome for decades, and was finally returned to Ethiopia in 2008. Its presence on this note is not decorative — it is a statement.

The Cave That Swallowed a River

On the back, the Sof Omar Cave in the Bale Mountains is one of Africa's longest cave systems — over 15 km of passages carved by the Web River through ancient limestone. Sacred to local Muslims (the cave is named for Sheikh Sof Omar, who used it as a place of worship), it is also a geological marvel: cathedral-like chambers, soaring arches, and a river that disappears underground and re-emerges kilometers away. It is the kind of place that makes you feel small in the best possible way.

Own This Note

Own this Ethiopia P-57 100 Birr 2023 (2015 EE) in Very Fine Plus condition — a note that carries two of Africa's most storied monuments on one side and one of its most spectacular natural wonders on the other. Printed by De La Rue of London, issued by the National Bank of Ethiopia, and signed by Governor Yinager Dessie. A cornerstone piece for any East Africa or world banknote collection.

Grading is per standard international banknote grading conventions. All notes ship in protective sleeves.