Catalog
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| Issuer | Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale (BEAC) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2022 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | CFA franc (Bank of Central African States, 1973-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central circular raised disk bearing a right-facing effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara and pearl drop earrings, executed in the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait style. The legend ELIZABETH II flanks the upper arc of the circle, with 3000 FRANCS CFA continuing around the right. The date 20 22 is split across the lower field flanking the portrait, with the denomination specifications 100 g Ag 999 inscribed below the effigy. The legend REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON arcs along the lower portion of the circular device, accompanied by a small crowned shield emblem. The surrounding rectangular field displays a fine iridium-plated granular texture contrasting with the polished circular insert. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The BEAC issues these high-denomination collector pieces through the Monnaie de Paris under licensing arrangements that have made the "New York" series a recurring vehicle for exotic plating materials. Iridium — the densest naturally occurring element and almost exclusively a byproduct of platinum group metal refining — was applied here as a novelty finish, not a monetary consideration. The 3000 CFA franc face value is notional; the combined economies of the six BEAC member states produce virtually no circulating commemorative demand at this price point.
Iridium plating at commercial scale only became viable in the early 2000s with advances in physical vapor deposition techniques.