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500 CFA Francs Mahatma Gandhi
| Issuer | Benin (1975-date) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 20 g |
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| Obverse description | Central field features the coat of arms of the Republic of Benin, depicting a quartered shield supported by two leopards rampant, surmounted by a star, with a scroll below bearing the national motto. The legend REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN arcs along the upper periphery in bold raised lettering. The denomination 500 FRANCS CFA is inscribed in large characters along the lower field. The motto FRATERNITE JUSTICE TRAVAIL appears on the scroll beneath the shield. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | REPUBLIQUE DU BÉNIN FRATERNITE JUSTICE TRAVAIL 500 FRANCS CFA |
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| Additional information |
Benin's commemorative coinage program from the mid-2000s was largely driven by the European mint and bullion market rather than any domestic monetary policy. These issues circulated in collector channels almost exclusively — Benin itself uses the West African CFA franc administered by the BCEAO, and 500 CFA face value on a 20g silver piece bore no practical relationship to its actual production cost or intended use.
Gandhi's 2005 appearance on a Beninese coin had more to do with the global commemorative market appetite for iconic figures than any historical connection between the man and the country.