Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, looks straight at the viewer from the 1,000 shilling note, the only denomination of the 2011 series with his portrait on the front. Behind him is Bismarck Rock in Mwanza harbour on Lake Victoria, and the back shows the presidential State House (Ikulu) in Dar es Salaam with its flag and a coffee plant.

The note carries no date: the catalogue year marks a print run with a particular pair of signatures. The 2019 issue is signed by Governor Florens Luoga, head of the Bank of Tanzania from 2018 to 2023, and by Finance Minister Philip Mpango.

The 2019 issue can be recognised by its security thread: against the light it shows the repeated text «BOT 2019». Viewed at a low angle, at eye level, the note reveals two images at once, the number 1000 and a giraffe’s head, while an iridescent stripe repeats the denomination.

The portrait of the nation’s founder and the presidential palace make this note a central piece for a Tanzania collection and for a topical set on heads of state on banknotes. UNC condition means the note has never circulated: no folds, no wear, no soiling, even corners — just as it left the press.

VPcoins specialises in coins and banknotes, so do take a look at the other items in our catalogue.