The Bank of Mozambique announced the issue of a new series of metical bank notes and coins as of June 16, 2024, that will circulate alongside and eventually replace those issued in 2006. The head of the central bank touted the new issues both for their new security features and their role in highlighting the history, fauna, education, marine resources, and agriculture of the country. He also said they would be almost impossible to copy.

The six currency denominations are evenly divided between polymer and paper. The 20-, 50-, and 100-metical notes will be printed on polymer, and the 200-, 500-, and 1,000-metical notes will be paper.

An identical facing bust of the country’s first president Samora Moisés Machel (1975 to 1986) is on the obverse of every note. An unapologetic Marxist, he perished in a 1986 plane crash when he was returning to Mozambique from Zambia. Although it denied responsibility, many thought the South African government was responsible for the crash. Machel’s widow, Graça, married South African president Nelson Mandela in 1998.

The reverse of the 20-metical note shows a plant, tree, mountains, and a bird on a branch; the 50-metical note features an antelope and other wildlife; the 100-metical note displays baskets of vegetables and fruit; a reclining lioness with cubs and a standing lion is on the 200-metical note; sail boats are featured on the 500-metical note; and five elephants walking in a field with trees behind them are on the 1,000-metical note. Stick figures are on the reverse of every denomination. For conversion, 1,000 metcais is equal to $15.66.

The day after issue, the Bank of Mozambique released a mobile app for tablets and smartphones to help familiarize the public with the new currency. The media company Club of Mozambique reported on June 19 that some passenger transporters and informal vendors were refusing to receive the new coins and notes because of supposing they were fake.

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