The 200 rupees of Mauritius is dedicated to Port Louis and to the man who led the city three times. The front shows Sir Abdool Razack Mohamed (1906–1978): born in Calcutta, he came to Mauritius in 1928, was elected Lord Mayor of Port Louis in 1949, 1953 and 1956, and served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1968 to 1976.

The back shows the Central Market of Port Louis with shoppers among the stalls, a lively scene of the capital’s daily life. The front is completed by the coat of arms, the Bank of Mauritius building and the figure of Justice with scales and sword, while a dodo watermark appears against the light.

In October 2011 the Bank of Mauritius upgraded the security of the 200 rupees: the silver foil gave way to a Multi Image element showing a dodo and the face value. The note dated 2017 was printed after that upgrade and belongs to the line the bank continued from 2010 into the 2020s.

In a Mauritius collection this is the piece that brings together a capital’s mayor and his city’s main market; genre scenes of this kind are not common in a topical set on markets and trade. UNC condition means the note has never circulated: no folds, no wear, no soiling, even corners — just as it left the press.

Would you like to complete the whole series? See the other denominations in the VPcoins catalogue.