As it is known, or not, of the Banknotes collectors, Mozambique as issued in 1975, year of its independence, a set of 5 Notes with the face values of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Meticas (Pick Catalogue nº 120, 121, 122, 123 and 124). These notes had never circulated, and the information is that was destroyed on the mint house, the English Thomas of la Rue. Between 1975 and 1980 had circulated in Moçambique colonial notes of 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Escudos, with overprinted "Banco of Moçambique". In 16 of June of 1980 the new notes had entered in circulation, with 4 values: 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 Meticais. The 1975 series always was involved in mystery, I was investigate for many years, interviewed some old controllersand managers of the Bank of Moçambique, members of the government and others, but nobody know nothing. Ones for pure unfamiliarity, others for thinking that it was "state secret". The truth is that I only knew the existence of these notes from the Pick Catalogue, and until now I was thinking that was a fantasy notes, therefore about none book, magazine or specialized site I found some image of these notes. Finally, one of this days days it appeared me a young boy with a damaged note, told me that was belonged to his father, and, what a surprise!!! I see a note of to 100 Meticas, series 1975!!!... A very good quality, watermark with the image of Samora Machel, two signatures, one of the "Governor of the Bank of Moçambique", Alberto Cassimo, that was really 1st Governor, but already dead, and of the "Ministro da Coordenação Económica", Mário da Graça Machungo, who already was 1º Minister and today it is CEO of Millenium BIM, Mozambican branch office of Portuguese Millenium BCP. Talking with the young boy, he said me that the note had been of its father, old guerrilla of the Frelimo, the first ones to enter in Lourenço Marques, a little before Independence, in 25 of June of 1975. Would have been ordered notes to after manufacture for the Frelimo the Agreements of September of 1974, that they had made right the date for Independence, and that they had been you deliver to the first members of the Frelimo that had entered in Lourenço Marques, to replace the old Escudo notes? If the notes had been destroyed, how this piece appear? It is damaged, but not because of use, therefore never it arrived to circulate it and this I guarantee therefore I participated in the brigades that in 1980 had proceeded to the exchange of the Escudos for the Meticais, and never appeared nothing of that. This are questions that continue without reply. If some of the members of the Fórum knows something more, please says some thing. However, the 100 Meticas 1975, even damaged, is now one of jewels of my collection!!!
