1500 Francs CFA Euro Introduction

Benin issued this piece as part of a wave of commemorative gold struck across Francophone West Africa to mark the euro's introduction in January 2002 — an event that had no direct monetary effect on these nations, since the CFA franc's peg shifted from the French franc to the euro by fixed conversion rather than any policy change on their part. The timing was largely opportunistic, aimed at the collector market rather than any domestic monetary significance.