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50 Francs CFA non magnetic, Essai
| Issuer | Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1972 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The denomination '50 FRANCS' is prominently displayed in large numerals and lettering at the center of the field. Framing the denomination is an elegant wreath composed of two distinct agricultural motifs: to the left, a millet or sorghum stalk bearing grain, and to the right, a coffee or cocoa branch with berries, reflecting the region's principal cash crops. Above the denomination, two cocoa pods are depicted horizontally, while below, groundnut plants with exposed pods rest at the base of the wreath. The date '1972' appears in the lower exergual area, flanked by small decorative stars. The circular legend 'UNION MONETAIRE OUEST-AFRICAINE' runs along the upper periphery. |
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| Reverse lettering | UNION MONETAIRE OUEST-AFRICAINE 50 FRANCS 1972 (Translation: West African Monetary Union) |
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| Additional information |
Essai strikes of this type were produced for the 1972 BCEAO coinage reform, when the West African Economic and Monetary Union was consolidating currency production under a unified central bank framework. Pattern and essai pieces from this period were typically distributed to member-state treasuries, international banks, and coin cabinets rather than entering circulation — which explains why survivors appear almost exclusively in original packaging.
The non-magnetic copper-nickel specification distinguishes this from later alloy trials catalogued under the same KM group, accounting for the separate E6 suffix variants.