Catalog
100 Francs CFA Elephants
| Issuer | Republic of the Congo |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
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| Currency | CFA franc (Bank of Central African States, 1973-date) |
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| Obverse description | A draped female figure is depicted seated and facing right in the central field, holding upright a large stone tablet inscribed with the national motto UNITE / TRAVAIL / PROGRES. The figure wears a traditional headdress and robes rendered in fine relief. The legend REPUBLIQUE DU CONGO curves along the upper periphery, while the denomination 100 FRANCS appears in large characters along the lower rim. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A naturalistic scene in high relief depicts a herd of four African elephants — three adults and one calf — walking through savanna vegetation, rendered with considerable artistic detail. A pair of large curved elephant tusks frames the lower portion of the field in a decorative arc, with the word ELEPHANT inscribed on a scroll between them at the bottom. The legend PRESERVATION DE LA NATURE arcs along the upper periphery, and the date 1993 appears at the lower left of the field. |
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| Additional information |
The Republic of the Congo's 1993 copper issues were produced during a period of acute political instability — the country was lurching through a transitional multiparty government following the 1992 elections, which themselves preceded the civil conflicts of 1993–94. Heavy copper pieces of this weight were not suited to everyday commerce in an economy where purchasing power had been gutted, and most examples appear to have been sold directly to collectors rather than entering circulation.