3000 Francs Mandrill, colored

Cameroon's modern bullion and collector output is largely produced by the Bavarian State Mint (Bayerische Hauptmünzamt) under licensing arrangements that have made Central African franc-denominated gold issues a staple of the European collector market rather than anything circulating in Yaoundé. The mandrill series specifically targets natural history collectors, a segment the mint has cultivated aggressively since the mid-2010s.

The coloring is applied via pad-printing directly onto the polished gold flan — a technique that raises periodic debate among purists about long-term preservation, as the polymer layer can lift or discolor over decades if improperly stored.