Catalog
1000 Francs CFA Hansa - Brandenburg D. I.
| Issuer | Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest |
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| Year | 1995 |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | At center, the national arms of Benin featuring a shield supported by two heraldic animals, with a star above; the motto legend arcs around the upper periphery and the denomination is inscribed in the lower field. The entire design is rendered in high relief against a mirrored proof field. |
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| Reverse description | A colorized depiction of the World War I Austro-Hungarian Hansa-Brandenburg D.I. biplane in flight, rendered in vivid polychrome enamel against a stylized sky and cloud background. The aircraft is shown in three-quarter view with detailed wing and fuselage markings. The legend 'HANSA-BRANDENBURGH D.I' arcs along the upper periphery, and the date '1995' appears in the lower right field. |
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| Additional information |
This piece belongs to a wave of commemorative silver issues licensed through BCEAO in the 1990s — a program that had virtually nothing to do with West African monetary policy and everything to do with the international collector market. The Hansa cog featured here references the medieval Hanseatic League's Baltic trading vessels, a subject with no geographic or historical connection to the issuing authority whatsoever.
BCEAO lent its name and legal tender status to dozens of such issues during this period, a practice common among smaller monetary unions seeking modest licensing revenue.