Catalog
10 Sengis 5 Years of J.D. Mobutu's Presidency, Gold Proof Issue
| Issuer | République Démocratique du Congo |
|---|---|
| Year | 1970 |
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| Diameter | 19.8 mm |
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| Reverse description | A uniformed bust of President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu faces slightly left, depicted in military dress adorned with decorations on the left shoulder, wearing spectacles. The effigy is rendered in high relief with fine portrait detail against a proof-quality mirror field with subtle radial lines emanating from the bust. The circular legend PRÉSIDENT JOSEPH-DÉSIRÉ MOBUTU arcs along the upper periphery, and the date 1970 appears in the lower exergue. A beaded border frames the entire reverse. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Issued to mark five years of Mobutu Sese Seko's rule, this gold proof predates by two years his sweeping "Authenticité" campaign, which would rename the country Zaïre, strip Western names from citizens, and rebrand the currency entirely — rendering this "République Démocratique du Congo" issue an accidental document of a political identity already scheduled for erasure. The 1970 proof sets were produced for international collectors and diplomatic presentation rather than domestic circulation, at a moment when Mobutu was still cultivating Western legitimacy.
KM#10 is seldom encountered outside of complete proof sets from this issue.