Catalog
500 Francs
| Issuer | Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale - République Centrafricaine |
|---|---|
| Year | 1980-1981 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | REPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE CINQ CENTS FRANCS LE GOUVERNEUR UN CENSEUR |
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| Protection description | a woman's head, visible in the blank oval reserve at centre when held to light |
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| Comments |
The Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale served six member states simultaneously, which meant notes for each country were differentiated by letter code and country-specific overprinting rather than wholly separate designs — a cost-sharing arrangement that reflected the CFA franc zone's pooled monetary administration under the Franc de la Coopération Financière en Afrique Centrale. The Central African Republic's issues carried the letter 'A' as their territorial identifier.
Oye Mba served as Governor of the BEAC and later became Prime Minister of Gabon — an unusual trajectory from central banking into elected office. The 1980–81 dating window coincides with the immediate aftermath of Bokassa's removal, when the CAR was being administered under French-backed transitional governance.