Coinage of Guinea

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Map of West Africa.

Map of Guinea.

From Wikipedia:

The Republic of Guinea has a population of 12.4 million and an area of 245,857 square kilometres (94,926 sq mi). It achieved independence from France in 1958. Guinea is a predominantly Islamic country, with Muslims representing 85 per cent of the population. Guinea's people belong to twenty-four ethnic groups. French, the official language of Guinea, is the main language of communication in schools, in government administration, and the media, but more than twenty-four indigenous languages are also spoken. Guinea's economy is largely dependent on agriculture and mineral production. It is the world's second largest producer of bauxite and has rich deposits of diamonds and gold.

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From Wikipedia:

The national flag of Guinea was adopted on 10 November 1958. The colors of the flag were adapted from those of the Rassemblement Démocratique Africain, the dominant movement at the time of independence. The colors were in turn derived from those of the flag of Ghana, which had first adopted them in 1957. Sékou Touré, the first President of Guinea, was a close associate of Kwame Nkrumah, the former president of Ghana.

According to Sékou Touré, first President of Guinea, the three colors of the flag represent the following: red symbolizes the blood of anti-colonialist martyrs, the labor of the working classes, and the wish for progress; yellow represents Guinean gold, as well as the sun, which is "the source of energy, generosity and equality for all men to which he gives light equally"; and green represents the country's vegetation, continued prosperity arising from its natural resources, and the historically difficult life of the Guinean masses who live in the countryside. In turn, the symbolism behind each of the three colors corresponds to the three components of the national motto: Travail, Justice, Solidarité ("Work, Justice, Solidarity"). In keeping with other flags in the region, the Pan-African movement's colors of red, yellow, and green are used.

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The Guinean national emblem features a dove with a golden olive branch in its beak.

The ribbon below features the national motto: "Work - justice - solidarity".

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The first Guinean franc was introduced in 1959 to replace the CFA franc.

The lowest denomination of coin was initially the 5 francs coin.

It was made of aluminium-bronze and weighed 3.1 g, with a diameter of 20 mm.


The obverse featured a portrait of President Ahmed Sékou Touré.

The reverse featured palm trees.

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Ahmed Sékou Touré  (1922 – 1984) was President of Guinea (formerly French Guinea) from 1958 to his death in 1984.

He died while undergoing cardiac treatment at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

See Wikipedia: Ahmed Sékou Touré.

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The 10 francs coin was also made of aluminium-bronze.

It weighed 3.95 g and had a diameter of 24 mm.


The obverse featured a different portrait of the president.

The reverse featured maize cobs.

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The 25 francs coin was also made of aluminium-bronze.

It was the highest denomination of the set.

It weighed 7.9 g and had a diameter of 27 mm.


The obverse (not shown) featured the same presidentail portrait as the 5 francs coin.

The reverse featured palm trees.

All the coins in this set were made by the Kremnica Mint of Czechoslovakia.

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In 1962 Guinea issued a new series of coins.

These were produced by the Royal Mint (UK).

The obverse and reverse designs were the work of Paul Vincze.


This time a copper-nickel 1 franc coin was issued.

It weighed 1.5 g and had a diameter of 17.1 mm.

Below is the obverse of the coin, showing the President.

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The reverse of the 1 franc coin featured palm leaves.

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The copper-nickel 5 francs coin weighed 3.47 g and had a diameter of 20 mm.

The obverse featured a different portrait of the President.

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The reverse of the 5 francs coin featured palm branches and coconuts.

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The copper-nickel 10 francs coin weighed 5.9 g and had a diameter of 23.5 mm.

The obverse featured the same portrait as the 1 franc coin.

The reverse featured two sprigs of millet.

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The copper-nickel 25 francs coin weighed 9 g and had a diameter of 27 mm.

The obverse featured the same portrait as the 5 francs coin.

The reverse featured two sprigs of millet.

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No more coins were issued until 1969.

The 50 francs coin of 1969 was the last of the series started in 1962.


It was produced by the Royal Mint (UK).#

The copper-nickel 25 francs coin weighed 12.6 g and had a diameter of 30.7 mm.

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The reverse of the 50 francs coin had a similar design to that of the 10 and 25 francs.