Catalog
500 Francs
| Issuer | Banque de la République de Katanga |
|---|---|
| Year | 1960 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | 170 x 90 mm |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | BANQUE DE LA REPUBLIQUE DE KATANGA 500 500 CINQ CENT FRANCS THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY, LIMITED |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Watermark |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Katanga's secession from the newly independent Congo was declared on 11 July 1960, just eleven days after Congolese independence. The need for a distinct currency was immediate and politically urgent — the Banque de la République de Katanga was established almost simultaneously, and Thomas De La Rue turned these notes around fast enough to support a functioning separatist administration within the same year.
The secession lasted until January 1963, when UN pressure and military intervention forced reintegration. Notes from this issuer had a working life of roughly two years before being demonetized — a short window that kept circulated survivors relatively scarce. The unlisted Pick status reflects how recently serious cataloguing of Katangese material has accelerated.