Bank.notes

Collection Ethiopia #185

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1 Birr ETB

Ethiopia 1997 1990_present AU P-P-46 AI extracted ✦ AI 92%
Front · IMG_6419.jpeg cropped
Back · IMG_6420.jpeg cropped
Pair check: ! check failed checked 2026-05-09T09:55:19.567463
Identity

Where & when

Country Ethiopia
Currency ETB
Denomination 1 Birr
Series name 1997 Series
Series year
Issue year 1997
Era 1990_present
Legal status withdrawn
Subjects & design

What's on the note

Front portrait
Reverse subject Tis Abay (Blue Nile Falls)
Watermark Lion of Judah head in clear field at center left
Color palette #8b7355,#d4af6a,#2f2f2f
Themes wildlife,agriculture
Language / script Ethiopic,Latin

Front: Young Ethiopian woman in traditional dress with agricultural scene showing cattle and trees in the background. The woman represents Ethiopia's agricultural heritage and rural population, which forms the backbone of the country's economy. The cattle (zebu cattle) are integral to Ethiopian farming and culture, used for plowing, transport, and as a measure of wealth. The lion watermark references the Lion of Judah, symbol of the Ethiopian monarchy and national emblem. Text appears in both Amharic and English, reflecting Ethiopia's multilingual character.

Back: Tis Abay (Blue Nile Falls), also known as Tis Issat ('smoking water' in Amharic), located on the Blue Nile River near Bahir Dar in northwestern Ethiopia. These spectacular falls, approximately 45 meters high during the rainy season, are one of Ethiopia's most iconic natural landmarks. The Blue Nile originates from Lake Tana and flows through Ethiopia before joining the White Nile in Sudan to form the Nile River. Two birds appear on the left side, likely endemic Ethiopian species, emphasizing the country's rich biodiversity and natural heritage.

Production

How it was made

Issuer National Bank of Ethiopia
Issuer (native) የኢትዮጵያ ብሔራዊ ባንክ
Printer
Engraver
Material paper
Dimensions (mm) 140x70

Signatures: Governor: signature present but name not clearly legible

Security features: intaglio,microprint,security_thread

Geography

Ethiopia in Africa

Ethiopia in Africa. Other countries on the same continent shown in muted grey.

The story

Background & history

This note belongs to the 1997 series issued by the National Bank of Ethiopia following the establishment of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in 1995. The series replaced earlier designs and introduced new security features while maintaining traditional Ethiopian imagery. The 1 Birr denomination was the lowest paper note denomination of this series. These notes were gradually replaced starting in 2006 with updated designs featuring more prominent portraits of Ethiopian leaders and enhanced security features. The 1997 series emphasized Ethiopia's natural wealth, agricultural economy, and cultural heritage rather than political figures, reflecting the transitional period following decades of civil conflict.

Catalogue

Collector references

Pick # P-46
Krause ID
Rarity tier common
Series range 1997–2006
Provenance

How it came to me

Acquired date
Acquired from
Acquired price
Currency
Condition
Grade AU
Serial number BS5835515
Serial prefix BS

Note appears to have light handling with minor wear at edges, otherwise well-preserved with good color and detail retention

Valuation

What it's worth now

$2–$8
Type default range $2–$8
Valuation history (1)
datelowhighcurrencysourcenote
2026-05-08 17:09:41 2.0 8.0 USD ai from claude-sonnet-4-5
Technical

History & extractions

AI extractions (1)
anthropic · claude-sonnet-4-5 2026-05-08 17:09:41
status: ok · step 1 · $0.0364 · 6125↓ + 1199↑ tokens
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