Note of the Month: Mozambique 500 Escudos

Posted on 6/24/2025

Here is one of the last banknotes issued for Mozambique before it achieved independence from Portugal 50 years ago.



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Country: Mozambique

Catalog Number: 114

Date: 1972

Denomination: 500 Escudos

Varieties: The PMG Population Report also lists Pick# 114s for Specimens.

What makes it special? This is one of the last banknotes issued for Mozambique before it gained its independence from Portugal 50 years ago, in June 1975. The front of this note shows Gago Coutinho and the back shows Sacadura Cabral, Portuguese aviators who conducted the first flight across the southern Atlantic Ocean.

Did you know? Located on the African coast near Madagascar, Mozambique has a population of 35 million, triple that of Portugal, which maintained a colonial presence there for nearly 500 years. Portugal's last overseas colony, Macau, reverted to Chinese rule in 1999.

Total graded by PMG: As of mid-June 2025, the PMG Population Report includes 12 examples of Pick# 114 and 13 Specimens.

PMG median grade: PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ

PMG highest graded: Three examples of Pick# 114 are graded PMG 67 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

Sales highlights: Examples graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ realized $104 and $63 through Heritage Auctions in separate sales in 2018.

PMG Registry: This note is part of the most popular Mozambique category in the PMG Registry, Mozambique, 1906-Date, P23-Date, where the first-place set, IndoHound's Mozambique personal collection, has a Pick #114 graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

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Note of the Month: Mozambique 500 Escudos

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