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1 Franc CFA
| Issuer | Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1976-2011 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The large numeral '1' dominates the central field, accompanied to its right by the word 'FRANC' in bold block lettering, together forming the denomination. The date is struck below in large numerals. The circular legend 'UNION MONETAIRE OUEST-AFRICAINE' runs along the rim from lower left to lower right. Two small decorative cornucopia or scroll ornaments flank the base of the design at the lower field, and the engraver's signature 'JP. RÉTHORÉ' appears in the exergue below. |
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| Additional information |
The CFA franc itself was created by decree on December 26, 1945, when France set its value against the newly established Bretton Woods system — CFA originally standing for "Colonies Françaises d'Afrique." After independence swept through West Africa in 1960, the acronym was quietly reinterpreted as "Communauté Financière Africaine," the currency and its peg to the French franc remaining otherwise unchanged. That peg held until 1994, when a single overnight devaluation of 50% — negotiated in Dakar without public announcement — cut purchasing power across eight nations simultaneously.
The steel composition adopted for this denomination reflects the coin's near-negligible transactional value even at issue.