Banknote News: Elephants on Banknotes (1st part – African)

There are many elephants on banknotes issued by Asian and African countries. We will try to cover all those issues. We can start in alphabetical order, starting with African elephants, and then moving onto Asian elephants since they differ in some features according to biological classification.

So lets start! Currently there seem to be 41 African banknotes which depict with elephants in their designs.

The 1st banknote comes from Angola, a Portuguese colony. The 5 Angolares banknote printed by Thomas de la Rue (London) and issued in 1926 (P-66) is a scarce note but can be found on the market at moderate price in F-VF condition. The 2nd banknote also comes from Angola, and is the 100 Escudos banknote printed by Thomas de la Rue (London) and issued in 1956 (P-89) and can be found in the market at moderate price in F-VF condition. A later issue with the same elephants is marked as the "Americo Tomás issue" with a different obverse, signatures and coloring as P-94 issued in 1962, and this latest issue is cheaper when compared to P-89.

The 3rd banknote hails from the Belgian Congo, and is the 5 Franc note printed by Waterlow (London) and issued in 1949-1952 (P-13B) ... a less rare note and can be found on the market at moderate price in VF-XF condition. Earlier issues with the same elephant are catalogued as P-4a, P-4A, P-4B, and P-4C and were issued between 1914 and 1924 (differences of those picks are related with the places of the notes issue - 4 different cities). P-13 was issued in 1942, and P-13Aa- 13Ad issued in 1943-1947, with a later note P-21 being issued in 1952 & 1953 (this pick differs from others by color, issue dates, signatures and issuing body; Banque Centrale du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi comparing with earlier ones as Banque du Congo Belge). All these similar notes were printed by Waterlow (London), the P-13B is cheaper comparing with all above issues except for the P-21.

The 4th banknote is also from Belgian Congo -- the 20 Francs printed by Thomas de la Rue (London) and issued in 1950, according to Krause is P-15H, a scarce note but can be found in the market at moderate price in F-VF condition. Earlier issues with the same elephant design are marked under P-15 issued in 1940, P-15A issued in 10.03.1942, P-15B issued in 10.12.1942, P-15C issued in 1943, P-15D issued in 1944, P-15E issued in 1946, P-15F issued in 1948, P-15G issued in 1949 (all those issues differ in coloring, signatures and dates of issue), and the later note P-23 issued in 1952 (this pick differs from others with coloring, dates and issuing body - "Banque Centrale du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi" compared with earlier ones issued by the "Banque du Congo Belge"). All these notes were printed by Thomas de la Rue (London).

The 5th banknote is also from the Belgian Congo, and it is the 100 Francs banknote printed by Waterlow (London) and issued in 1944-1951 ( P-17a, P-17b, P-17c, or P-17d), a scarce note but can be found on the market at moderate price in F-VF condition. Later issues with the same elephant design are marked under P-25a and P-25b issued in 1952-1954 (this pick differs from earlier one by date, signatures, and issuing body - "Banque Centrale du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi" compared to earlier notes which were issued by the "Banque du Congo Belge" and probably with watermark - in the P-25 wmrk is zebra's head), all these notes were printed by Waterlow (London). The 6th banknote, another from the Belgian Congo, is a 500 Franc banknote printed by the American Bank Note Company (New York) and issued in 1941, 1943 & 1945 (P-18A), a rare note, seldom seen on the market. The catalogue value ranges from $2000 in Fine condition to $3500 for Extremely Fine, but most probably the market prices are much higher. This banknote is on my wish list, but I fear I will need to become a billionaire before having a chance to own it in reality :) ....

The 7th banknote comes from the Congo, but the Democratic Republic thereof. This 100 Franc banknote is printed by Giesecke & Devrient (Germany) and issued in 31.07.2007 (P-98 is a relatively cheap note, and can be found on the market at low prices in UNC condition. Earlier issues with the same elephant are marked under P-90 issued in 01.11.1997, and printed by the National Bank of Belgium Printing Works, P-90A issued in 01.11.1997, printed by Hôtel des Monnaies (Kinshasa), P-92 issued in 04.01.2000, printed by Giesecke & Devrient (Germany), P-92A issued in 04.01.2000, printed by Hôtel des Monnaies (Kinshasa), and P-98 issued in 2007 & 2013, printed by Hôtel des Monnaies (Kinshasa). I don't know why did they use 2 different printers for the same dated issues... The 8th banknote comes from Cameroon, and it is the 1000 Francs issued by Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale - République du Cameroun in 1986-1992 (P-26a, P-26b, and P-26c), a moderately accessible note that can be purchased at a good price in UNC condition. An earlier issue with the same elephant is marked under P-25 issued in 1985 issued by the same body. It should also be noted that in the frame of Central African States union there are issues with the same elephant from several countries: Congo Republic (P-9 - 01.01.1985, P-10 - 1987-1991 & P-11 - 01.01.1992), Central African Republic (P-15 - 01.01.1985, P-16 - 1986-1990), Gabon (P-9 - 01.01.1985, P-10 - 1986-1992), Equatorial Guinea (P-21 - 01.01.1985), Chad (P-10 - 01.01.1985, P-10A - 1985-1992)...

The 9th banknote comes from Equatorial African States and is the 100 Francs issued by Banque Centrale - États de l'Afrique Équatoriale in 1963 (P-3), a less common note but can still be found on the market at moderate prices in F-VF condition. The 10th banknote comes from Ethiopia: a 100 Thalers banknote printed by Bradbury Wilkinson (New Malden) and issued in 01.05.1932 (P-10) a rare note but can be found in the market at moderately high prices in F-VF condition. An earlier issues with the same elephant is listed under P-4 issued in 1915-1929 (this pick differs from later one with dates, coloring, signatures and issuing body - Bank of Abyssinia comparing with later one - Bank of Ethiopia). All these Ethiopian notes were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson (New Malden). P-4 is a very rare note, which I've never seen on the market. The catalogue value is from $3500 for Extremely Fine up to an unknown price...

The 11th banknote comes from French West Africa, and is the 50 Franc note issued by the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale in 1903-1924 for Conakry (P-9A), a scarce note that can sometimes be found on the market at moderate prices in F-VF condition. There are other issues with the same elephants are marked under P-9B, P-9D, and P-9F issued in 1905-1926 (these picks differs from first one with places of issue: DAKAR, GRAND-BASSAM, PORTO-NOVO, SAINT-LOUIS ...
The 12th banknote is from Kenya, and it is the 1000 Shillings note issued by the Central Bank of Kenya in 2005-2010 (P-51, a note of moderate price which can be found on the market at moderate price in UNC condition. Earlier issues with the same elephants are marked under P-34 issued in 1994 & 1995, P-40 issued in 1997-2002, and P-45 issued in 2003 & 2004 (these picks differ from last issue with security features, obverse sides, signatures and dates of issue).

The 13th banknote comes from Kenya and is the 500 Shilingi/Shillings note issued by the Central Bank of Kenya in 2019 (P-55), a note of moderate price, that can be found on the paper money market at moderate price in UNC condition. The 14th banknote comes from Kenya too, and it is the 1000 Shilingi/Shillings banknote of the same issue, issued by the Central Bank of Kenya in 2019 (P-56), another note of moderate price that can easily be found on the market in UNC condition.

The 15th banknote is from Malawi; the 200 Kwacha banknote issued by the Reserve Bank of Malawi in 1995 (P-35), a banknote that can be found on the market at moderate price in VF-XF condition. The 16th banknote comes from Malawi too, and it is the 50 Kwacha note issued by the Reserve Bank of Malawi in 2012 (P-58), a cheap note that can easily be purchased in UNC condition. A later issue with the same elephant is catalogued as Malawi P-64 issued between 2014 and 2018 (these picks differ each other with security features, signatures, coloring and dates of issue).

The 17th banknote comes from Mozambique, and it is the 1000 Meticais banknote issued by Banco de Moçambique in 2011 & 2017 (P-154), a note of moderate price that can be found on the market at moderate price in UNC condition. An earlier issue with the same elephants is listed as Mozambique P-148 and was issued in 2006 (these picks differ each other with security features, signatures, coloring and dates of issue). Banknote number 18 comes from Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and it is a 10 Pound banknote printed by Bradbury Wilkinson (New Malden) and issued in 1956-1961 (P-23), a rare note, seldom seen on the market, and the catalogue value is from $3000 in Very Fine condition, but most probably the market prices are much higher.

The 19th banknote comes from South Africa, and is the 20 Rand note issued by South African Reserve Bank in 2005 & 2009 (P-129), and is an affordable note. An earlier issue with the same elephant design is designated as P-124 and was issued in 1993-1999 (these picks differ each other with security features, signatures and dates of issue). The 20th banknote comes also from South Africa, and is also a 20 Rand note issued by South African Reserve Bank in 2012 (P-134, and is a relatively cheap note. A later issue with the same elephants is catalogued as P-139 and was issued in 2013-2016 (these picks differ each other with security features, signatures and dates of issue).