Catalog
5 Centimes - Léopold II
| Issuer | Belgian Congo (1908-1960) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1909 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Five interlaced royal monograms of Léopold II (L-L cypher) arranged symmetrically to form a five-pointed star pattern, with a central circular perforation. The bilingual country name appears as a circular legend around the periphery in both French and Dutch. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | **CONGO BELGE · BELGISCH-CONGO · LL LL LL LL LL |
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| Additional information |
Belgian Congo's copper-nickel coinage was introduced in 1906 under a profound administrative shift — the forced transfer of the Congo Free State from Léopold II's personal ownership to the Belgian state, finalised in November 1908 after years of international pressure over atrocities documented by figures including E.D. Morel and Roger Casement. This 1909 issue was struck during the transition year immediately following that handover, making it one of the last pieces to carry Léopold's name on colonial coinage. He died in December of that year.