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500 Francs CFA Apatura iris
| Issuer | Bank of Central African States |
|---|---|
| Year | 2024 |
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| Currency | CFA franc (Bank of Central African States, 1973-date) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a vivid full-colour photographic depiction of a purple emperor butterfly (Apatura iris) perched with wings spread open among wildflowers in a naturalistic meadow setting, rendered in polychrome colour printing. A three-dimensional magnifying glass motif in silver relief is superimposed over the central field, its lens framing and appearing to enlarge the butterfly specimen beneath it, creating a striking trompe-l'oeil optical effect. The species name Apatura iris is inscribed in italic lettering in the upper right area of the coloured field. The overall composition fills the entire reverse to the rim, with the magnifying glass handle extending to the right in finely detailed relief. |
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| Additional information |
The Apatura iris, known as the Purple Emperor, is a woodland butterfly native to Europe and temperate Asia, infamous among lepidopterists for its preference for rotting matter over flowers — males actively seek carrion, dung, and muddy puddles rather than nectar. The Bank of Central African States issues coins for collector markets well outside its member states' borders, a financing mechanism that generates hard currency revenue largely disconnected from domestic monetary policy.