Catalog
1000 Francs
| Issuer | Banque du Congo Belge |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920-1927 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Franc (1887-1960) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BANQUE DU CONGO BELGE MILLE FRANCS PAYABLES A VUE A KINSHASA LE DIRECTEUR LE PRESIDENT LA LOI PUNIT LE CONTREFACTEUR DES TRAVAUX FORCES |
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| Protection description | Elephant's head |
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| Comments |
The Banque du Congo Belge was established in 1909, the same year Belgium formally absorbed the Congo Free State from Leopold II following international outrage over the atrocities of his private colonial regime. This 1000 Franc note belongs to the bank's earliest high-denomination series, issued across a period of considerable monetary strain as the colony rebuilt its financial infrastructure after the disruptions of the First World War.
At this denomination, notes were primarily instruments of commercial and colonial administration rather than everyday exchange. Surviving examples from this series are uncommon — the tropical climate of the Congo was brutal on paper currency.