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50 Makutas 5 Years of J.D. Mobutu's Presidency, Brass Gilt Proof Issue
| Issuer | République Démocratique du Congo |
|---|---|
| Year | 1970 |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A three-quarter facing draped and uniformed bust of President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu dominates the central field, depicted wearing a military dress uniform with heavily decorated epaulettes and a tie. The subject wears eyeglasses, lending a distinguished and civilian character to the portrait. The curved legend PRÉSIDENT JOSEPH-DÉSIRÉ MOBUTU arcs along the upper periphery, while the date 1970 appears in the exergue below the bust. The design is framed by a beaded border consistent with the obverse, and the proof surfaces display deeply mirrored fields contrasting with the frosted relief of the portrait. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Issued to mark the fifth anniversary of Mobutu Sese Seko's seizure of power in November 1965, this proof strikes during a period when the regime was actively constructing a personality cult around its leader. The makuta plural had only recently been introduced as part of a broader currency reform in 1967, replacing the franc congolais at a rate designed to signal economic rupture from the colonial past.
Gilt brass proofs of this type were almost certainly produced for presentation and diplomatic gift purposes rather than any commercial release — Congo's numismatic program under Mobutu was largely run through foreign minting contracts, with this piece attributed to the Belgian production pipeline.