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10 Francs 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen
| Issuer | Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997-date) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2002 |
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| Value | 10 Francs |
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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 central field depicts a finely engraved three-quarter view of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen of 1886, the world's first true gasoline-powered automobile, shown with its characteristic tricycle configuration, wire-spoked wheels, tiller steering, and open engine compartment. The series legend AUTOMOBILES HISTORIQUES arcs along the upper periphery. Below the vehicle, the inscription Benz Patent-Motorwagen and the date 1886 appear in two lines, with the issue year 2002 placed in the lower exergue. |
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| Additional information |
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has issued an extraordinary volume of collector-market novelty pieces since the late 1990s, largely disconnected from any domestic monetary function. This coin commemorates the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen, widely recognized as the first true gasoline-powered automobile, designed by Karl Benz and granted German imperial patent DRP-37435 in January of that year. The vehicle never saw Congo — the connection is purely commercial, targeting European and American thematic collectors through licensed distribution channels.
These issues were authorized under the Kabila-era government as foreign currency revenue. Virtually none entered circulation.