Catalog
2500 Francs Independence
| Issuer | Dahomey (1960-1975) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1971 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Three traditional religious dancers are depicted in dynamic poses within the central field, rendered in high relief against a smooth mirror background characteristic of proof coinage. The central figure raises one arm aloft, while the flanking dancers hold ritual objects, all three dressed in traditional Dahomean attire. The legend DANSE RELIGIEUSE is inscribed in two words across the upper field, separated by the central dancer's raised arm. The design is framed by a beaded inner border following the coin's circumference, enhancing the ornate presentation of this commemorative issue. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | 1971 - Hallmark `900` lower left of `FRANCS`, Proof - 1971 - Hallmark `900` lower right of `FRANCS`, Proof - 960 1971 - Hallmark `900` under `F` of `FRANCS`, Proof - 1971 1 AR - Hallmark `900` lower right of `FRANCS`, mint mark lower left of `FRANCS`, Proof - |
| Additional information |
Dahomey struck this gold issue in 1971 to mark the eleventh anniversary of independence from France, part of a broader commemorative program that also included silver denominations released simultaneously. The series was produced by the Paris Mint — Dahomey had no domestic minting capability — and was aimed squarely at the international collector market rather than domestic circulation. Few of these coins ever reached Cotonou.
The country ceased to exist under that name in 1975 when Mathieu Kérékou's Marxist-Leninist government renamed it the People's Republic of Benin.