1000 Francs CFA Automobile

Benin's CFA franc issues of this period were produced almost entirely by the Monnaie de Paris under longstanding arrangements between France and the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The WAEMU member states had no independent mint capacity, meaning Cotonou held political authority over these commemorative programs in name more than in practice.

The automobile series was part of a broader wave of themed collector coinage that flooded the numismatic market around the turn of the millennium, driven largely by wholesale distributors contracting directly with small-nation mints and monetary authorities. Many of these issues saw the issuing country receive a flat licensing fee with little involvement in design or distribution.