1000 Francs CFA Self-portrait in a straw hat

This piece belongs to a wave of African collector issues produced for the European novelty market rather than domestic circulation — Gabon's monetary authority, the BEAC, has authorized numerous commemorative designs since the 2000s that bear little relationship to the country's economic life. The self-portrait referenced is Rubens's c.1623 work held in the Royal Collection, notable for its unconventional use of contre-jour lighting.