5 Francs Guinéens

Guinea's 1962 coinage was among the first issued after independence from France in 1958, as Sékou Touré's government had rejected membership in the French Community — the only West African territory to vote "Non" in de Gaulle's 1958 referendum. That decision cost Guinea immediate French economic withdrawal, with Paris pulling out technicians, equipment, and financial infrastructure almost overnight. The new franc guinéen replaced the CFA franc, asserting a monetary break that was as political as it was practical.