7000 Francos CFA President Nguema

Equatorial Guinea's relationship with the CFA franc zone has been politically awkward since the country — a former Spanish colony — joined BEAC in 1985, making it the only member whose colonial monetary history had no French connection whatsoever. This piece was issued under Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who had seized power in 1979 by overthrowing and executing his own uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema. The 7000-franc denomination is an artifact of the conversion rate applied when Equatorial Guinea's ekwele was absorbed into the CFA system.