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10 Francs Papilio machaon
| Issuer | Banque Centrale du Congo |
|---|---|
| Year | 2003 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse lettering | Papilio machaon 10 FRANCS 2003 REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO (Translation: Democratic Republic of Congo) |
| Reverse description | The reverse of this transparent acrylic coin displays the same design elements as the obverse in mirror image, visible through the clear medium, with the engraved motifs of the Papilio machaon butterfly in dorsal view occupying the upper field and a standing lion below. The inscriptions 'Papilio machaon', '10 FRANCS', '2003', and 'REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO' appear laterally reversed as seen from this face, a characteristic of the single engraved layer within the translucent acrylic planchet. The smooth, polished acrylic surface gives the reverse a glassy, mirror-like appearance. |
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| Additional information |
The Democratic Republic of Congo has issued novelty legal tender in acrylic and polymer formats since the early 2000s, largely targeting the thematic collector market rather than domestic circulation — no one was spending these at a Kinshasa market stall. KM#163 is part of a butterfly series that coincided with a period of profound institutional instability at the Banque Centrale, which was simultaneously trying to stabilize the Congolese franc after years of catastrophic hyperinflation. The collector export market offered hard currency revenue with zero monetary risk.
The swallowtail species depicted, Papilio machaon, is native to Europe and Asia — not Congo.