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5 Francs
| Issuer | Banque du Congo Belge (Bank van Belgisch Congo) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1947 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Francs |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The large denomination numeral '5' with the abbreviation 'FR' occupies the centre of the field in bold relief. A bilingual circular legend reads 'BANQUE DU CONGO BELGE' in the upper arc and 'BANK VAN BELGISCH CONGO' in the lower arc, presenting the issuing authority in both French and Dutch. Two five-pointed stars flank the central denomination at the mid-field, serving as decorative separators between the two inscriptions. The design is enclosed by a finely toothed inner border and a plain outer rim. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Banque du Congo Belge was granted its note-issuing monopoly in 1909, the same year Leopold II's personal fiefdom was transferred to the Belgian state following international outcry over atrocities in the rubber trade. Brass coinage for the colony was periodically struck in Belgium and shipped across, a logistical exercise complicated during the war years by Atlantic convoy losses and competing wartime demand on Belgian industrial capacity in exile.
The 1947 issue arrived in the immediate postwar reorganization of colonial currency, when Belgium was simultaneously rebuilding its domestic monetary system and reasserting administrative control over the Congo after wartime disruptions.