10 000 Ekuele Masie Nguema Biyogo

Masie Nguema Biyogo — born Francisco Macías Nguema — renamed himself and the main island of Equatorial Guinea as part of a systematic purge of colonial and European identity following independence from Spain in 1968. By 1978, when this piece was struck, he had declared himself President for Life and banned the Catholic Church, the word "intellectual," and the use of Western medicine. An estimated one-third of the population had fled or been killed under his rule.

He was overthrown and executed by firing squad in August 1979, less than a year after this coin's issue date.