Issued on 15 January 2015 by the Banque de la République du Burundi, this 500 Francs banknote features an orange underprint throughout. The obverse shows a crocodile in the upper left, a branch of coffee at right, the national coat of arms, and the Burundian flag. The reverse depicts an outline map of Burundi with fishermen in a boat on Lake Tanganyika.
Printed on 100% cotton paper, this note includes a windowed, segmented metallic security thread bearing the “BRB” monogram, a fish-shaped see-through register, a watermark portrait of Prince Louis Rwagasore, a small cow-head hologram, microprinted text, UV-reactive fibers, and a latent fish image. The signatures of Governor Jean Gaspard Ciza and Second Vice-Governor Aimée Laurentine Kanyana appear on the face. It measures 120 × 60 mm.
Obverse
Red and green print; orange underprint; black and red serial numbers.
Coffee (Coffea sp.) branch at right, crocodile (Crocodylidae sp.) above coat of arms of Burundi at upper left. Flag of Burundi at lower right.
Windowed security thread with bank monogram and cow head. Fish-shaped see-through feature at lower left. Hologram of a cow head and bank monogram at right.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
IBANKI YA REPUBLIKA Y’UBURUNDI
AMAFARANGA
AMAJANA ATANU
UWUZOKWIGANA IYI NOTI AZOPFUNGWA
UBUMWE – IBIKORWA – AMAJAMBERE
UNITE – TRAVAIL – PROGRES
500
Translation: Bank of the Republic of Burundi. Five hundred francs. The counterfeiter is punished with penal servitude. Unity, work, progress.
Reverse
Multicolour print; orange underprint.
Map of Burundi with boat on Lake Tanganyika at left, bank logo lower right.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
BANQUE DE LA REPUBLIQUE DU BURUNDI
CINQ CENT FRANCS
LE CONTREFACTEUR EST PUNI DE SERVITUDE PENALE
LE GOUVERNEUR
LE 2e VICE-GOUVERNEUR
15-01-2015
500
Translation: Bank of the Republic of Burundi. Five hundred francs. The counterfeiter is punished with penal servitude. The governor, the 2nd vice governor.
Watermark
Prince Rwagasore and bank monogram.
© oXide3030 (CC BY-NC-SA)
Signatures
| Jean Gaspard Ciza (JGC) | Governor |  |
| Aimee Laurentine Kanyana (ALK) | 2nd Vice Governor |  |
| Sendazirasa Annonciate (SA) | 2nd Vice Governor |  |
| Edouard Normand Bigendako (ENB) | Governor |  |
| Marie Goreth Ndayishimiye (MGN) | 2nd Vice Governor |  |
Printer
De La Rue (Thomas de la Rue; Thomas De La Rue & Co.; TDLR), London, United Kingdom (1821-date)
Comments
The note has a solid security strip windowed into three pieces on the obverse. Under backlight the strip can be seen, it has “BRB” interspersed with stars on it:
UV activity differs when viewed under UVA (365nm) or UVC (254nm).
Below is UV activity on a 2023 note at 365nm:
At 254nm a red “500” appears on the obverse:
© Brandon Bertolli
Features
| Issuer | Burundi |
|---|---|
| Issuing bank | Bank of the Republic of Burundi |
| Ruling authority | Republic (1966-date) |
| Type | Standard circulation banknotes |
| Years | 2015-2023 |
| Value | 500 Francs 500 BIF = GBP 0.13 |
| Currency | Franc (1962-date) |
| Composition | Hybrid substrate |
| Size | 120 × 60 mm |
| Shape | Rectangular |
