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1 Franc - Albert I Essai, French text
| Issuer | Belgian Congo (1908-1960) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1930 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Franc |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A tall, centrally placed palm tree dominates the field, its fronds spreading broadly across the upper portion of the coin in naturalistic detail. Flanking the trunk in the lower-middle field are the large denomination numerals and letter 1 F, with the date 1930 inscribed at the base of the trunk. The legend CONGO BELGE curves along the lower periphery in bold letters, all within a beaded inner rim. |
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| Reverse lettering | 1 F 1930 CONGO BELGE |
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| Additional information |
The Belgian Congo's 1930 franc essais were trial strikes produced as the administration evaluated coinage designs ahead of official issue — a process the Brussels mint conducted with particular thoroughness for colonial series, often striking essais in multiple metals and languages simultaneously. The French and Flemish text variants exist as parallel pieces, reflecting the linguistic politics of the Belgian state projected onto its colonial currency apparatus.
Silver essais of this type were not intended for circulation and typically saw distribution only among ministry officials and collectors through controlled channels.