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1000 Francs CFA C. Columbus and Santa Maria
| Issuer | Benin (1975-date) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1000 Francs CFA |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A polychrome enamel scene dominates the field, depicting Christopher Columbus standing in the left foreground dressed in period explorer's attire with plumed hat, holding a lance or staff and gesturing toward the right. The Santa Maria tall ship, rendered in multicolor enamel with red cross-adorned sails, occupies the right portion of the field against a stylized sea. A radiant sun disc appears in the upper left field. The surrounding legend LE MONDE EN AVENTURES · CRISTOPH COLUMBUS arcs around the upper periphery, with the date · 1996 · inscribed along the lower border. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Benin has no meaningful historical connection to Columbus or the 1492 voyage — this coin was struck purely for the international collector market, timed to the tail end of the quincentenary commemorative wave that flooded dealers' catalogs between 1992 and 1996. The BCEAO-affiliated franc CFA zone occasionally permitted member states to issue these collector-targeted silver pieces through private minting arrangements, with the issuing country receiving a licensing fee while the coins never entered domestic circulation.