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1500 Francs CFA Westminster Abbey
| Issuer | Benin (1975-date) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2018 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | An exceptionally detailed high-relief depiction of the interior of Westminster Abbey, rendered in antique finish silver, presenting a dramatic perspective view down the nave toward the altar. The vaulted ceiling displays intricate fan vaulting with radiating tracery, flanked by soaring Gothic arched arcades and carved choir stalls receding into the middle ground. In the lower left field, the date 2018 is incused, while at lower center the circular cartouche bears the national arms of Benin accompanied by the legend REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN and the denomination 1500 FRANCS CFA. The composition conveys extraordinary architectural depth and craftsmanship, characteristic of the Cathedrale series of ultra-high-relief collector issues. |
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| Reverse description | A finely engraved, high-relief frontal elevation of Westminster Abbey, the celebrated Gothic collegiate church in London, occupying the central field of the coin. The composition presents the west facade in precise architectural detail, featuring the two square towers with their pinnacled turrets, the great west window, the elaborately carved central portal, and the nave extending to the left. The antique finish accentuates the sculptural depth of the stonework, buttresses, and Gothic tracery. The legend WESTMINSTER is inscribed vertically along the left inner border and ABBEY along the right inner border, flanking the architectural design. |
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| Additional information |
Westminster Abbey has been a recurring subject in Benin's prolific commemorative program, which has operated largely through the Bavarian State Mint and various European licensing intermediaries since the 1990s. These issues are produced speculatively for the collector market and have no meaningful circulation history in Benin itself — the country adopted the West African CFA franc as legal tender through the BCEAO and has never independently distributed coinage of this kind domestically.
The 100g format places this among the heavier entries in the series, a format that became increasingly common after 2015 as issuing programs competed for shelf presence at major numismatic trade fairs.