Tanzania

Tanzania reportedly replacing 500-shilling note (B139) with coin

Tanzania_BOT_500_shillings_2011.01.01_B139a_P40_CA_1589924_f
According to an article on DailyNews dated 9 June 2016, the Bank of Tanzania is phasing out 500-shilling notes (B139) and replacing same with coins.

Tanzania new sig/date (2015) 1,000-shilling note (B140b) confirmed

Tanzania_BOT_1000_shillings_2011.01.01_B140b_P41_DH_5959611_f
Tanzania_BOT_1000_shillings_2011.01.01_B140b_P41_DH_5959611_r
Like B140a, but new signature 16, and new date in security thread with demetalized BOT 2015. Prefix DH. Intro: 2015.

Courtesy of Chris Hall.

Tanzania new signature 2,000-shilling note (B141b) confirmed

Tanzania_BOT_2000_shillings_2015.09.00_B141b_P42_EU_2061602_f
Tanzania_BOT_2000_shillings_2015.09.00_B141b_P42_EU_2061602_r
Like B141a, but new signatures. Prefix EQ - EX.

Courtesy of Chris Hall.

Tanzania new signature 5,000- and 10,000-shilling notes confirmed

Tanzania_BOT_5000_shillings_2015.00.00_B42b_P43_CL_1889114_f
Tanzania_BOT_5000_shillings_2015.00.00_B42b_P43_CL_1889114_r
5,000 shilling, no date. Like BOT B42a, but new signatures. Prefix CL.

Tanzania_BOT_10000_shillings_2015.00.00_B43b_P44_DF_5893401_f
Tanzania_BOT_10000_shillings_2015.00.00_B43b_P44_DF_5893401_r
10,000 shilling, no date. Like BOT B43a, but new signatures. Prefix DF.

Courtesy of Nin Cheun (Noteshobby).

East Africa chapter of The Banknote Book is now available


The East Africa chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale and as a free download to subscribers.

This 22-page catalog covers notes issued by the Government of the East Africa Protectorate from 1905 to 1919 and the East African Currency Board from 1920 to 1965. Revised 21 June 2016.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:
  • Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
  • Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
  • Specific identification of all vignette elements
  • Security features described in full
  • Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
  • Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
  • Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
  • Date reproduced exactly as on note
  • Precise date of introduction noted when known
  • Replacement note information
  • Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
  • Background information for historical and cultural context
  • Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
  • Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the term of your subscription.

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Tanzania to replace 500-shilling note with coin by December 2012


According to an article on DailyNews dated 1 March 2012, the Bank of Tanzania plans to replace 500-shilling (US$0.30) notes with coins because the latter lasts much longer in circulation.

The article also contains new details on plans of the East African Community (www.eac.int)—Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda—to introduce a common currency, the new East African shilling.

According to an article on DailyNews dated 6 July 2012, the bank now expects that the notes will be replaced by coins by December 2012.

Tanzania chapter of The Banknote Book is now available


The Tanzania chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale and as a free download to subscribers.

This 14-page catalog covers notes issued by the Bank of Tanzania from 1966 to present. Revised 13 January 2016.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:
  • Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
  • Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
  • Specific identification of all vignette elements
  • Security features described in full
  • Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
  • Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
  • Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
  • Date reproduced exactly as on note
  • Precise date of introduction noted when known
  • Replacement note information
  • Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
  • Background information for historical and cultural context
  • Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
  • Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the term of your subscription.

Subscribe
Sign up for Email Notifications
If you would like to receive email notifications whenever a new chapter of The Banknote Book is published, please join the email list.

Sign up

Tanzania refutes rumors of recall of new notes

According to an artilce in The Citizen dated 10 March 2011, Bank of Tanzania (BOT) has refuted rumors that it was withdrawing the new family of notes that it had just introduced on 1 January. Apparently there have been widespread complaints that the new notes are of inferior quality compared to the older notes. The bank insists the notes are of good quality and has no plans to withdraw them from circulation.

East African Community moves to introduce common currency in 2012

An East African Business Week article dated 14 February 2011, contains interesting information on the continuing plans to form an East African Community Monetary Union similar to the European Union, wherein all the partner states will replace their individual currencies—the Burundian franc, Kenyan shilling, Rwandan franc, Tanzanian shilling, and Ugandan shilling—for a single regional currency in 2012.

Courtesy of Aidan Work.

Tanzania new note family confirmed

On 17 December 2010, the Bank of Tanzania announced it would introduce a new family of notes on 1 January 2011. The new notes are slightly smaller than the existing notes, which will continue to circulate in parallel. The new notes are protected by Motion windowed security threads, Spark patches, and watermarks with electrotype denominations, among other anti-counterfeiting features.

According to an article on The Citizen dated 30 December 2011, Crane printed all denominations except the 1,000-shilling note, which is printed by De La Rue. Previously Tanzania’s notes were printed by Giesecke & Devrient, whose contract expired in April 2009.


500 shillings
Green. Front: Coat of arms; Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume. Back: Snake coiled around stick; University of Dar es Salaam central hall building; graduating students wearing caps and gowns. giraffe. Motion windowed security thread. Watermark: Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 500. Printer: (Crane). 120 x 60 mm. No date. Signature 15. Intro: 01.01.2011.


1,000 shillings
Blue. Front: Coat of arms; President Julius Kambarage Nyerere; Bismarck Rock in Mwanza Harbor. Back: Coffee plant; State House (Ikulu) building with flag in Dar Es Salaam. Windowed security thread with demetalized BOT 2010. Watermark: Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 1000. Printer: (TDLR). 125 x 65 mm. No date. Signature 15. Intro: 01.01.2011.


2,000 shillings
Tan and brown. Front: Coat of arms; lion. Back: Palm trees; old Omani Arab Fort (Ngome Kongwe) in Zanzibar’s Stone Town; carved block; diamond-shaped Spark patch with giraffe head. Motion windowed security thread. Watermark: Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 2000. Printer: (Crane). 130 x 66 mm. No date. Signature 15. Intro: 01.01.2011.


5,000 shillings
Purple. Front: Coat of arms; plant; black rhinoceros. Back: Mining machinery; rough and cut diamonds; diamond-shaped Spark patch with giraffe head. Motion windowed security thread. Watermark: Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 5000. Printer: (Crane). 135 x 67 mm. No date. Signature 15. Intro: 01.01.2011.


10,000 shillings
Red and yellow. Front: Coat of arms; elephant. Back: Flowers; Bank of Tanzania headquarters building in Dar es Salaam; diamond-shaped Spark patch with giraffe head. Motion windowed security thread. Watermark: Julius Kambarage Nyerere with electrotype 10000. Printer: (Crane). 140 x 68 mm. No date. Signature 15. Intro: 01.01.2011.

Courtesy of Thomas Augustsson.

Tanzania to introduce new notes by June 2010

According to an article in The Zimbabwean dated 16 October 2009, the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has contracted with two foreign firms to print new banknotes. Governor Beno Ndulu said that the new notes would be in circulation by June 2010 and old notes will remain legal tender.

The country's current notes are printed by the German firm Giesecke & Devrient, but the Swedish company Crane Currency AB will print the new 500, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 shilling notes, while the UK-based De La Rue will print the new 1,000-shilling notes. The designs and security features have not been finalized.

Tanzania new signature 2,000-shilling note confirmed


2,000 shillings (US$1.50). Like Pick 37, but new signatures opf the minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mustafa Mkulo, and Governor Benno Ndulu.

Courtesy of Andrew Roberts.

Tanzania notes stolen in transit from Germany

According to an article in The Citizen dated 21 March 2009, the Bank of Tanzania confirmed that Sh34 million (US$26,000) in “calibrated” bills was stolen in transit from Germany to Dar es Salaam. BoT Governor Benno Ndulu refuted earlier media reports that the stolen money was a consignment of new Sh10,000 banknotes printed by the German security printer Giesecke & Devrient, which is also under contract to print new Sh500 and, Sh1,000, and Sh2,000 notes.

Tanzania Pick 20a: Does it exist?


In trying to complete my catalog chapter for Tanzania, I have managed to compile images of every note type and variety with the exception of Pick 20a. According to the SCWPM, this 200-shilling note was issued in 1992 with the modified portrait of President Ali Hassan Mwinyi (see P20b with signature 8) and signature 7 of Cleopa David Msuya and Gilman Rutihinda (shown taken from P18b).

I have searched every web site and dealer inventory list I have at my disposal and yet have never been able to find Tanzania Pick 20a. So, is this yet another example of Krause including a listing for a note that doesn’t exist as described, or can someone please confirm it was actually issued by emailing a scan of same? I welcome any and all input or leads for a definitive answer.

Tanzania planning new banknote series

According to an article in The Citizen dated 8 January 2009, “The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) plans a major change of the country’s currency notes…The central bank has in a notice published in the media last month, and also posted on its website, invited tenders for the printing of the currency notes… The central bank’s invitation of tenders means that Thomas De La Rue, which has been printing Tanzanian currency, is not guaranteed continuation of the contract…The plan to change the currency, the sources said, was also partly due to the central bank’s desire to remove from the notes the signatures of two former officials implicated in various scandals. The current notes bear the signatures of former BoT Governor Daudi Ballali, who was sacked by President Jakaya Kikwete after it was revealed by an international audit firm, Ernst & Young, that the BoT lost Sh133 billion under his watch. The notes also bear the signature of former Finance Minister Basil Mramba, who is facing abuse of office charges at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam.”

Tanzania issues corrected 1,000-shilling note



1,000 shillings, ND (2006). Issued 8 August 2006. Like Pick 36 (above, left), but with portrait of President Julius K. Nyerere corrected to show the shirt button on the “masculine” side (above, right). 135 x 66 mm.

Courtesy of Chris Twining.