1500 Francs CFA Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein, commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1869 and never finished before his death in 1886, has no connection whatsoever to Central Africa. The Bank of Central African States issued this piece — and dozens like it during the mid-2000s — purely as a bullion novelty targeting the European collector market. The BEAC's authority to issue legal tender was exploited by third-party licensing firms who paid for the privilege and handled all distribution themselves.

One gram of .999 gold in this format was largely a vehicle for premium markup over spot.