{"product_id":"mozambique-p139-100000-meticais-1993-unc","title":"Mozambique P139 100000 Meticais 1993 UNC—AK-47—Modernism—Dam","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne hundred thousand meticais — a denomination that tells you everything about \u003cstrong\u003eMozambique in 1993\u003c\/strong\u003e: a country emerging from 16 years of civil war, hyperinflation still raw, and a central bank bold enough to put its own headquarters on the nation's highest-value note.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Red on multicolor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain vignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e The \u003cstrong\u003eBank of Mozambique headquarters\u003c\/strong\u003e in Maputo — a striking modernist building, the institutional heart of the republic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoat of arms:\u003c\/strong\u003e Republic of Mozambique arms featuring a \u003cstrong\u003ehoe, AK-47 rifle, open book, and rising sun\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the world's most politically charged national symbols\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSee-through security feature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Registration device shaped as a \u003cstrong\u003emaize stalk\u003c\/strong\u003e — visible only when held to light, front and back aligning perfectly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSecurity thread:\u003c\/strong\u003e Present\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 16 DE JUNHO DE 1993\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Adriano Maleiane, Gov., Bank of Mozambique\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e CEM MIL METICAIS \/ MAPUTO \/ REPÚBLICA DE MOÇAMBIQUE\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Red on multicolor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain vignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCahora Bassa\u003c\/strong\u003e hydroelectric dam and power station on the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zambezi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eZambezi River\u003c\/a\u003e — one of Africa's largest dams and a symbol of post-independence ambition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBdM logo:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bank of Mozambique emblem\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt element:\u003c\/strong\u003e Abstract illustration evoking neurons or electrical current — referencing the dam's power generation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWarning text:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA falsificação da moeda é punida nos termos da lei\u003c\/em\u003e (Currency counterfeiting is punishable by law)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e REPÚBLICA DE MOÇAMBIQUE \/ CEM MIL METICAIS\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-139; Numista N#203555\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bank of Mozambique logo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSecurity thread:\u003c\/strong\u003e Present\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 165 × 69 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bank of Mozambique (Banco de Moçambique)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 March 1995\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDemonetized\u003c\/a\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e 31 December 2012\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Adriano Maleiane, Gov.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old metical (1980–2006)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Building on the Note\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt takes a certain institutional confidence to put your own headquarters on the country's largest banknote. The \u003cstrong\u003eBank of Mozambique\u003c\/strong\u003e building in \u003cstrong\u003eMaputo\u003c\/strong\u003e is a bold modernist structure — clean lines, post-independence swagger — and it anchors the obverse of this note like a declaration: \u003cem\u003ewe are open for business\u003c\/em\u003e. The bank was founded in \u003cstrong\u003e1975\u003c\/strong\u003e, the same year Mozambique gained independence, carved out of the old colonial Banco Nacional Ultramarino. This note, issued in \u003cstrong\u003e1995\u003c\/strong\u003e with a 1993 date, came at a pivotal moment — the \u003cstrong\u003eRome Peace Accords\u003c\/strong\u003e had just ended 16 years of civil war in 1992, and Mozambique was rebuilding from near-total economic collapse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Man Who Signed It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdriano Maleiane\u003c\/strong\u003e signed this note as Governor of the Bank of Mozambique — a role he held with distinction before going on to serve as \u003cstrong\u003eMinister of Finance\u003c\/strong\u003e and, ultimately, \u003cstrong\u003ePresident of Mozambique\u003c\/strong\u003e from 2022. His signature on this note is, in retrospect, the autograph of a future head of state. That's not nothing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Dam That Was Supposed to Save Everything\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCahora Bassa\u003c\/strong\u003e — on the reverse — is one of Africa's great infrastructure stories, and not an entirely happy one. Built by the Portuguese colonial government between \u003cstrong\u003e1969 and 1974\u003c\/strong\u003e, it was the largest dam in Africa at the time of completion. The plan was to sell electricity to apartheid South Africa and fund colonial rule. Instead, independence came, civil war followed, and the \u003cstrong\u003etransmission lines were sabotaged repeatedly\u003c\/strong\u003e by RENAMO rebels — leaving the dam generating power that couldn't reach anyone. Mozambique only gained full ownership of Cahora Bassa in \u003cstrong\u003e2007\u003c\/strong\u003e. Today it powers millions. The abstract neural\/electrical motif beside it on the reverse is a quietly poetic touch — electricity as life force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Maize Stalk You Can Only See in the Light\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHold this note up to a light source and the front and back align to reveal a \u003cstrong\u003emaize stalk\u003c\/strong\u003e — a see-through registration device that was cutting-edge security for its era. Maize is one of Mozambique's staple crops, feeding millions. It's a humble, grounded choice for a note worth 100,000 of anything — a reminder of what the economy actually runs on beneath the dams and central bank buildings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOwn This Note\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOwn this crisp, uncirculated 100,000 Meticais — a demonetized relic of Mozambique's most turbulent decade, signed by a future president, featuring the dam that was supposed to power a revolution. A compelling piece of African numismatic history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Mozambique\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Derived from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mozambique_Island\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMozambique Island\u003c\/a\u003e (Ilha de Moçambique), itself named after the Arab trader Mussa Bin Bique (Musa ibn Malik al-Biki) who settled there in the 15th century\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Maputo\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMaputo\u003c\/a\u003e — city pop. ~1.1 million; metro pop. ~2.7 million (UN 2023) — comparable to Dallas, TX\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Named after the Maputo River, itself derived from a local Bantu word meaning \"tribute\" or from a local chief named Maputo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~34 million (UN 2023) — California or Morocco\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 801,590 km² (309,496 mi²) — slightly larger than Texas\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 ~$1,400 (one of the lowest in the world)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural gas, aluminum, coal, tobacco, cashews, prawns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tanzania (north), Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe (west), South Africa, Eswatini (south); Indian Ocean (east)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Makua_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMakua\u003c\/a\u003e (26%), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsonga_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTsonga\u003c\/a\u003e (24%), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lomwe_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLomwe\u003c\/a\u003e (18%), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sena_people\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSena\u003c\/a\u003e (11%), others\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 as OAU); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commonwealth_of_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCommonwealth of Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1995 — notably, never a British colony); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Southern_African_Development_Community\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSADC\u003c\/a\u003e (1992); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUN\u003c\/a\u003e (1975)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Portuguese colony (1498–1975); independent Republic of Mozambique (1975–date); FRELIMO one-party state (1975–1990); multiparty republic (1990–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eMozambique Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNatural gas jackpot:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mozambique sits atop one of the largest natural gas discoveries of the 21st century — the Rovuma Basin holds an estimated 100+ trillion cubic feet of gas, potentially transforming the economy — if political stability holds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNever colonized by Britain — yet joined the Commonwealth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mozambique is one of only two Commonwealth members (with Rwanda) that were never British colonies. It joined in 1995 as a strategic move after apartheid South Africa's neighbors lobbied for its inclusion.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCashew capital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mozambique was once the world's largest cashew producer. Colonial-era processing factories were nationalized after independence, collapsed, and the industry has been slowly rebuilding ever since.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCyclone alley:\u003c\/strong\u003e The country is one of the most cyclone-prone in Africa. Cyclone Idai (2019) killed over 1,000 people and devastated Beira — one of the worst natural disasters in African history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe flag has an AK-47:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mozambique's national flag features a Kalashnikov assault rifle — the only national flag in the world with a modern automatic weapon on it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGraça Machel:\u003c\/strong\u003e Samora Machel's widow became a global humanitarian icon and later married Nelson Mandela — making her the only woman in history to have been First Lady of two different countries.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51799016309047,"sku":"MZ139U","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/Screenshot_2026-07-14_at_09.20.55.png?v=1784035335","url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/products\/mozambique-p139-100000-meticais-1993-unc","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}