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1500 Francs CFA Egyptian Tourmaline crystals
| Issuer | Benin (1975-date) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2016 |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features a central circular windowed capsule containing loose faceted Egyptian tourmaline crystals in black, green, and pale violet hues, set into a polished silver field. Flanking the capsule are two mirror-image coats of arms of the Republic of Benin in low relief. The legend REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN arcs along the upper periphery in incuse Latin lettering, while the denomination 1500 FRANCS is inscribed along the lower arc. The broad milled border is interrupted by evenly spaced notched panels, giving the coin a distinctive decorative framing. |
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| Obverse lettering | REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN 1500 FRANCS |
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| Additional information |
Benin's franc CFA coinage has been issued under the West African Economic and Monetary Union since the country's 1975 reorganization from the former Republic of Dahomey, with the Central Bank of West African States — the BCEAO — controlling all monetary policy for the eight-member zone. Individual member states retain the right to issue commemorative and collector pieces, though these carry no practical circulation function within the union.
The Egyptian tourmaline embedded in this piece was sourced from the Sinai Peninsula and the Eastern Desert mines, regions with documented mineral extraction dating back to Pharaonic times. Tourmaline from these deposits carries a distinctly variable color saturation depending on trace element concentration — no two stones are identical.