50 Francs Year of the Rat

Rwanda's lunar series occupies an odd niche — a landlocked East African nation with no particular cultural connection to the Chinese zodiac cycle, issuing coins aimed squarely at the international collector market rather than domestic circulation. The National Bank of Rwanda has leaned into this role since the early 2000s, effectively licensing its sovereign authority to bullion and numismatic distributors who handle design, production, and distribution almost entirely outside the country.

The 2020 date places this at the actual Year of the Rat in the traditional cycle — a 60-year combination of the rat sign with the Metal element, last occurring in 1960.