10 000 Francs

Guinea's 10 000 Franc note entered circulation during a particularly volatile political period — Lansana Conté died in December 2008 after decades in power, and the military junta that immediately seized control inherited an economy already damaged by years of mismanagement and inflation. By that point, 10 000 Francs had become a workaday denomination rather than a high-value one, reflecting how far the currency had eroded since independence.

Thomas De La Rue's involvement here is routine for Francophone West Africa, where BCRG repeatedly contracted London-based security printers rather than regional alternatives. The security package — thread and watermark only — is modest for the denomination.