Catalog
5 Francs - Léopold II Pattern
| Issuer | Congo Free State (1885-1908) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1896 |
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| Currency | Franc (1887-1960) |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed, bearded bust of King Léopold II facing left, rendered in high relief with finely modeled facial features including a prominent beard and strong profile. The truncation of the bust reveals the collar and upper garment. A circular legend surrounds the effigy reading LEOP. II R. D. BELG. SOUV. DE L'ÉTAT INDEP. DU CONGO, and the engraver's name FERNANDUBOIS appears at the lower rim. The portrait is executed in a naturalistic, medallic style characteristic of late 19th-century Belgian coinage artistry. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central shield bearing the crowned arms of the Congo Free State, supported on either side by a standing lion rampant. The denomination 5 FRANCS appears in the upper field above the arms, while the motto TRAVAIL ET PROGRES arcs along the lower portion of the design. The date 1896 is inscribed in the exergue or lower field. The heraldic composition is rendered in the formal medallic tradition befitting a pattern issue of this period. |
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| Reverse lettering | 5 FRANCS TRAVAIL ET PROGRES 1896 |
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