20 Dollars 1997, Zimbabwe
| in Krause book | Number: 7a |
| Years of issue: | 1997 |
| Edition: | |
| Signatures: | Governor: Mr. Leonard Tsumba |
| Serie: | Leonard Tsumba Issue |
| Specimen of: | 1997 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 145 х 72 |
| Printer: | Fidelity Printers and Refinery, Msasa Industrial area, Harare |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
The Zimbabwe Bird. It is the national emblem of Zimbabwe, appearing on the national flags and coats of arms of both Zimbabwe and Rhodesia, as well as on banknotes and coins (first on Rhodesian pound and then Rhodesian dollar). It probably represents the Bateleur eagle or the African Fish Eagle.
In lower right corner is a profile of the stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird. It is the national emblem of Zimbabwe, appearing on the national flags and coats of arms of both Zimbabwe and Rhodesia, as well as on banknotes and coins (first on Rhodesian pound and then Rhodesian dollar). It probably represents the Bateleur eagle or the African Fish Eagle.
The original carved birds are from the ruined city of Great Zimbabwe, which was built by ancestors of the Shona, starting in the 11th century and continuing for over 300 years. The ruins, after which modern Zimbabwe was named, cover some 1,800 acres (7.3 km²) and are the largest ancient stone construction in Zimbabwe. Among its notable elements are the soapstone bird sculptures, about 16 inches tall and standing on columns more than a yard tall, were installed on walls and monoliths of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe. They are believed to have been a sign of the royal presence.
After the ruins of Great Zimbabwe were discovered by European colonists in the late nineteenth century, they took five of the carved birds to the Cape Colony and sold them to its leader Cecil Rhodes. A German missionary came to own the pedestal of one bird, which he sold to the Ethnological Museum in Berlin in 1907. At the independence of Zimbabwe in 1981, the South African government returned four of the statues to the country; the fifth is held at Groote Schuur, Rhodes' former home in Cape Town. In 2003, the German museum returned the portion of bird's pedestal to Zimbabwe.
Avers:
Balancing rocks are geomorphic features of igneous rocks in many parts of Zimbabwe. Formations are a natural occurrence in a perfectly balanced state without the support of other means. Their popularity increased when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe depicted them on banknotes.
The Chiremba Balancing Rocks, in Epworth Township, have been used as a metaphorical theme to explain the importance of development combined with preserving Zimbabwe's fragile environment, both in Epworth and elsewhere.
Epworth is one of the largest cities in Zimbabwe, located in the center-northeastern part of the country. It stretches beyond the southeastern outskirts of the city of Harare, and is considered a "hostel" for the main city of the country. Epworth has a fairly high population density, and the city is crossed by important highways and railways that lead to Mozambique - to the coast of the Indian Ocean. Harare International Airport is located southwest of Epworth.
Epworth was founded in the 90s of the XIX century by the missionaries of the Methodist Church. A group of missionaries came to this area of Africa to bring the Word of God to the natives, and the influence of the Methodist community remained very strong even after a hundred years. Now the suburb of the capital is surrounded by numerous suburbs - small villages and agricultural land.
In lower right corner are two African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer). It is a large African bovine.
It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, and its ancestry remains unclear. The African buffalo is not the ancestor of domestic cattle, and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. Owing to its unpredictable nature, which makes it highly dangerous to humans, the African buffalo has never been domesticated unlike its Asian counterpart, the Asian buffalo.
Syncerus caffer caffer, classic Cape or savannah buffalo, is found in the east and south, starting in southwest Ethiopia and through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Malawi. The distribution is patchier through Angola, Mozambique, and Swaziland. In South Africa they are well distributed, except in the southeast and southwest, where they are absent.
Centered is an inscription: Harare 1997 (capital of Zimbabwe, former Rhodesia). The name of the city was changed to Harare on April 18, 1982.
The Pioneer Column, a military volunteer force of settlers organized by Cecil Rhodes, founded the city on 12 September 1890 as a fort. They originally named the city Fort Salisbury after the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, then British prime minister, and it subsequently became known simply as Salisbury. The Salisbury Polo Club was formed in 1896. It was declared to be a municipality in 1897 and it became a city in 1935.
Also, in center, is the Roadside pimpernel (Tricliceras longepedunculatum var. longepedunculatum).
Perennial herb with annual stems, which are covered in long purple hairs. Although each flower only lasts about one day, they are produced one after another, which makes the plants an attractive sight for an extensive period of time.
Derivation of specific name: longepedunculatum: with a long inflorescence-stalk (peduncle).
Habitat:Found in Brachystegia woodland, grassland and on roadsides.
Altitude range: 900 - 1500 meters.
Flowering time: November - February.
Worldwide distribution: From Tanzania to South Africa.
Denominations in numerals are in all corners, centered in words.
Revers:
In lower left corner are, again, two African buffalo.
Centered - Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya (Tokaleya Tonga: the Smoke that Thunders), is a waterfall in southern Africa on the Zambezi River at the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).
David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer, is believed to have been the first European to view Victoria Falls on 16 November 1855 from what is now known as Livingstone Island, one of two land masses in the middle of the river, immediately upstream from the falls on the Zambian side. Livingstone named his discovery in honour of Queen Victoria, but the indigenous name "Mosi-oa-Tunya" - "the smoke that thunders" - continues in common usage as well. The nearby national park in Zambia, for example, is named "Mosi-oa-Tunya", whereas the national park and town on the Zimbabwean shore are both named Victoria Falls. The World Heritage List officially recognizes both names.
Victoria - the only waterfall in the world, having more than 100 meters high and more than a kilometer wide.
Denominations in numerals are in all corners.
Comments:
Solid security thread with demetalized RBZ20.
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