10 Francs - Colbert

The Institut d'Émission de l'Afrique Équatoriale Française et du Cameroun was created in 1955 as France began restructuring the monetary architecture of its Central African territories ahead of decolonization — a process that would render this issuing authority obsolete within just a few years. The 1957 date places this note in the final phase of French Equatorial Africa as a political unit; by 1960, the four constituent territories had each achieved independence and the franc zone was reorganized accordingly.

Hourriez and Chapon were both staff engravers at the Banque de France, working within a house tradition that prized intaglio depth over decorative novelty. Pierre Munier's design work for French colonial issues of this period is consistent across several denominations — competent and precise, but not individualized in any way that distinguishes this note from its siblings in the series.