Zimbabwe 2007 (issued 2008) – $5 | Pick 66 PMG 68 EPQ Superb Gem Mint

Zimbabwe 2007 (issued 2008)  –  $5 | Pick 66 PMG 68 EPQ Superb Gem Mint 

Offered here is a Zimbabwe Reserve Bank 5 Dollars note from the Chiremba Rocks series, certified by PMG as 68 Superb Gem Uncirculated. Cataloged as Pick 66, this type is a particularly meaningful piece for collectors because it sits at a decisive point in Zimbabwe’s currency story, right as the country moved into the most dramatic phase of its hyperinflation era.

The note carries the printed date HARARE 2007, yet standard references place the release of this type at 1 August 2008, tying it directly to Zimbabwe’s major currency reform in which ten zeros were removed from the dollar. That re-denomination was an attempt to simplify cash transactions and restore confidence, but inflationary pressure continued to intensify, and denominations escalated rapidly soon afterward. As a result, this issue is widely collected as a “just before the surge” banknote, representing the moment when authorities were still trying to stabilise the system with conventional denominations before the later avalanche of ever-larger notes.

Visually, it is one of the most iconic designs of the period. The obverse features the Chiremba Balancing Rocks, a national landmark motif that became synonymous with Zimbabwe’s late-issue banknote design, alongside the Zimbabwe Bird, a powerful state emblem presented as a central design element. The reverse depicts Kariba Dam and an African elephant, pairing one of Southern Africa’s most significant engineering works with a wildlife symbol strongly associated with Zimbabwe’s natural heritage. The type is also known for its watermark, which is described as the Zimbabwe Bird with an electrotype “5,” and this traditional paper-money feature adds another layer of authenticity and collectability to a note issued at a time when the economy and currency were under exceptional strain.

The PMG 68 Superb Gem Uncirculated grade places this example at the very top of the condition spectrum, indicating an elite note with outstanding original quality, exceptional visual appeal, and the kind of refinement advanced collectors seek when upgrading type sets or building top-tier Zimbabwe hyperinflation collections. For many collectors, the later trillion-dollar denominations tell the headline story, but pieces like this provide the crucial context, capturing the transitional phase when a re-denominated currency briefly returned to “normal” looking values before the situation spiralled again.

Professional Graded and encapsulated by PMG (2265553-004)