Central African States, 1976, 50 Francs, Nickel KM 11

[aws22]

Central African States, 1976, 50 Francs, Nickel KM 11
Weight 4.7 gm
Diameter 22 mm
Metal Nickel
A currency union originally consisting of Central African Republic, Chad, Congo and Gabon.  They were joined by Cameroon in 1961 and Equatorial Guinea in 1985.
Nice coin.

Maythem

[Figleaf]

France suffered much damage during the second world war. A communist revolution threatened. People were killed in the streets during riots. The usual choice between inflation and unemployment was impossible. Unemployment would have strengthened the communists. Therefore, the french franc was allowed to devalue quickly. The French African colonies below the Sahara did not have these problems, but they were also using french francs. A severe depreciation made no sense for them. Therefore, Paris decided to uncouple these countries from the French franc. In 1955, two new central bank-like institutions were established to manage the now independent currencies, the Institut d'émissions de l'Afrique occidentale française et du Togo (Issuing institution of French West Africa and Togo) and the Institut d'émissions de l'Afrique equatoriale française et du Cameroun (Issuing institution of French equatorial Africa and Cameroon).

At independence, the two institutions morphed into central banks, but the critical posts were still taken by French officials. Although Paris thought of them as post-colonial instruments of control, the common currencies were a great success, as they imposed fiscal discipline and promoted trade, so they were maintained in spite of French control, as they would have fallen apart without French control. The the currency areas maintained a 1 to 1 rate of exchange, so the coins and notes could be used in the member states of both currency unions, together known as the Communauté Financière Africaine (CFA), hence the expression Franc CFA.

The design of the three gazelle heads was created by Lucien Bazor, engraver at the Paris mint. His signature is to the left of the gazelles. for your coin, the design was updated by Robert Cochet, another Paris mint engraver.

At the top of the reverse is a D. This assigns the coin to Gabon, but it could circulate in other CFA countries also. The word FRANCS is flanked on the left by the mark of the Paris mint, a cornucopia. on the right by the dolphin of its director, Emile Rousseau.

Peter

[aws22]

Thank you Peter

Maythem

[eurocoin]

What I find interesting is that the 50 francs coin was the only coin in the coin series of the Central African States at the time that had an identification mark (in the form of a letter) to indicate for which country the specific coin was produced. The other denominations did not have such letter. Although I find the mark interesting, it seems a bit poinless to only add it on 1 denomination. If it had been of any use, surely they would have also included it on the other denominations in the series.

[Big_M]

What I find interesting is that the 50 francs coin was the only coin in the coin series of the Central African States at the time that had an identification mark (in the form of a letter) to indicate for which country the specific coin was produced. The other denominations did not have such letter. Although I find the mark interesting, it seems a bit poinless to only add it on 1 denomination. If it had been of any use, surely they would have also included it on the other denominations in the series.

The first type 500F equally used the same letter identification.

[eurocoin]

Interesting, I did not know that. Question remains why only on 2 of the coins in the series and not on all of them? Had it something to do with the 50 francs and 500 francs at the time being the 2 highest denominations?

I guess we will never know the reasoning behind it.