10 Dollars Independence

Eritrea declared independence from Ethiopia in May 1993 following a UN-supervised referendum in which over 99% voted for separation — the culmination of a thirty-year armed struggle, one of the longest independence wars in African history. The Bank of Eritrea was established almost simultaneously, and this silver issue was among the first coins struck under its authority, making it less a circulating piece than an institutional declaration.

Struck to .9999 fineness rather than the more common .999, a specification worth noting in the context of this series.