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1 Ekwele Visit of Pope John Paul II
| Issuer | Banco de Guinea Ecuatorial |
|---|---|
| Year | 1982 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Ekuele (1 GQE) |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A large, finely modelled facing portrait of Pope John Paul II dominates the central field, rendered in high relief with naturalistic detail including his clerical collar. To the lower left of the portrait, a facsimile inscription reads Juan Pablo II, and to the lower right the commemorative date 18 Febrero 1982 appears in script lettering. Six stars are symmetrically arranged to either side of the portrait within the inner field. The engraver's signature LINUS appears at the base of the portrait. The circular legend REPUBLICA DE GUINEA ECUATORIAL runs along the upper periphery, while VISITA DEL PAPA is inscribed along the lower border. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
John Paul II visited Equatorial Guinea in February 1982 as part of his first papal tour of Africa, a trip that also took him through Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, and other nations. Equatorial Guinea under Teodoro Obiang Nguema — who had seized power in 1979 by overthrowing and executing his own uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema — was eager to project legitimacy through any available channel. A papal visit, and a commemorative gold issue marking it, served that political calculation directly.
The 62-gram format places this among the heavier modern gold commemoratives from sub-Saharan Africa, and surviving examples rarely appear at auction.