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The Axumite kings of Ethiopia issued the first gold, silver and bronze coins in the second century AD. However, no coins were minted in Ethiopia between Axumite times and the 1800s. Instead, Byzantine and Islamic coins were imported. The Sultanate of al’Harar issued coins between 1807 and 1886.

The Empire of Ethiopia (Abyssinia) existed as an independent country until it was invaded by Italy on October 3, 1935, annexed on may 9, 1936, and incorporated into Italian East Africa on June 1, 1936. The Allies liberated Addis Ababa on May 5, 1941, when it regained its independence.

The silver Talari (ETT) was introduced in 1893 as a substitute for the Maria Theresa Thaler (XMTT), which was the main medium of exchange in Ethiopia in the 1800s and 1900s with 1 Thaler equal to 16 Gersh (Piastres). Ethiopia issued banknotes in Thalers (ETT) from the Bank of Abyssinia from 1915 until 1932, and from the Bank of Ethiopia from 1932 until 1936 when Italian authorities recalled all the banknotes. The banknotes were redeemable in Maria Theresa Thalers and divisible into 20 Gersh (Piastres) until 1903 and 16 Gersh thereafter. Transactions were also carried out in French Francs (FRG).

When Ethiopia was incorporated into Italian East Africa, the Italian East Africa Lira (AOIL) was introduced at par with the Italian Lira. After Ethiopia was liberated from the Italians in April 1941, the British administered the monetary affairs of Ethiopia during the war and introduced the East Africa Shilling (XEAS) into the country. The East Africa Shilling was issued by the East Africa Currency Board and was divisible into 100 Cents. Egyptian Pounds were also in use, though they were phased out in the 1940s. Maria Theresa Thalers, Indian Rupees and the British Pound Sterling were also legal tender under British administration.

On July 23, 1945, the Ethiopian Dollar (ETD) was introduced with 1 Ethiopian Dollar equal to 2 East African Shillings or 0.66 Talari. The Ethiopian Dollar became the sole legal tender on October 1, 1952 when Eritrea was incorporated into Ethiopia. On September 21, 1976, Ethiopia replaced the Ethiopia Dollar with the Ethiopia Birr (ETB) at par. Small denomination notes could be exchanged at par, but notes of 50 Dollars or more were subject to a “wealth” tax of 10% to 20%. The Dollar was divisible into 100 Cents, and the Birr into 100 Senteems. Banknotes were issued by the State Bank of Ethiopia from July 1945 until January 1964, and by the National Bank of Ethiopia after that.

Here is a 1 Birr noted dual dated EE1998 / 2006. The note is black on multicolor underprint. The obverse features a young man to the center right, with longhorn rams to the right. Also on the obverse is a Map to the left and a lion's head in underprint at left center. A security feature showing a latent image (map of Ethiopia) with value to the left ont he obverse. The reverse depicts White-throated bee-eaters and the Tisisat waterfalls (Near Bahir Dar, the lake is dammed by a lava barrier over which the Blue Nile pours, dropping 138 feet (42 m) to form the spectacular Tisisat Falls -a section of which has been harnessed for hydroelectric power.)

• Krause# Pick- (not yet included in 14 edition)