The first banknotes of Zimbabwe were issued by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (formerly Reserve Bank of Rhodesia) for the first dollar (ZWD) in 1980 to coincide with the independence of Zimbabwe. These notes replaced the circulating banknotes of the Rhodesian Dollar at par.

The first series of banknotes ranged from dollars2 to dollars20 and carried the signature of Dr. Desmond Krogh, then the last Governor of the Reserve Bank of Rhodesia from 1973. They are dated 1980 but issued in 1981 except for the $20 note, which was issued in 1982.

The Chiremba Balancing Rocks in Epworth, Harare is the main illustration on the obverse of regular banknotes of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe: for its emergency Bearer and Agro cheques, the rocks became part of the Reserve Bank's emblem that also appeared on the obverse. The reverse of dollar notes often illustrates the culture or landmarks of Zimbabwe.

Image Courtesy: colnect.com