10 Francs John Paul II

The Democratic Republic of the Congo adopted its current name in 1997 following Laurent-Désiré Kabila's overthrow of Mobutu Sese Seko, and the early years of the new state saw a wave of foreign-themed commemorative silver issues clearly aimed at the international collector market rather than domestic circulation. This piece is one of dozens struck under that program.

John Paul II visited the then-Zaire in 1980 and again in 1985, making him one of the few world figures with a documented direct connection to the country — though that link stretches thin by 2000.