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French West Africa, 5 francs 1970

Started by ghipszky, September 10, 2009, 11:52:21 PM

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ghipszky

Here is another coin from Africa from my friends collection.It is 19mm. What is the creature on the reverse?
Ginger
And what country in Africa is this from?

a3v1

Ginger,
This coin is not issued by a particular country; it is issued by the Central Bank of French West Africa. FWA is a group of nine former french colonies.
Regards,
a3v1
Over half a century of experience as a coin collector.
-------------
Money is like body fat: If there's too much of it, it always is in the wrong places.

ghipszky

Thanks,
I wasn't at all sure about its origin.
Ginger

africancoins


Galapagos

The creature is a dune gazelle, as depicted by the late French numismatic artist Lucien Bazor.

ghipszky

Thanks for the further info. Is that a squid on the reverse?
Ginger

translateltd

The squid-like thing on the *ob*verse :-) is described in the catalogues (both SCWC and Schön) as an Ashanti gold weight.


Bimat

Quote from: translateltd on September 11, 2009, 07:01:02 AM
The squid-like thing on the *ob*verse :-) is described in the catalogues (both SCWC and Schön) as an Ashanti gold weight.


Here you can see those weights,and the West African States' bimetallics.

Aditya
It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. -J. K. Rowling.

ghipszky

I haven't dealt with these kinds of coins that often, so I didn't know which side of the coin was the obverse or reverse. I still have tons of things to learn about world coins. Maybe I should just stick to what I know and that is ancient coins.
I will add this additional information to the coins attribution card.
Thanks again,
Ginger

ghipszky

Aditya, Thanks for the pic of the really nice bi-metallic coin.
Ginger

muenz-goofy

Many things are said about Gingers coin, but let me notice another remark.

Quote from: ghipszky on September 10, 2009, 11:52:21 PM...What is the creature on the reverse?...

Quote from: translateltd on September 11, 2009, 07:01:02 AM
The squid-like thing on the *ob*verse :-) is described in the catalogues (both SCWC and Schön) as an Ashanti gold weight...

Obv or Rev, the numismatics always will struggle about this question. From my point of view the side with the Gazelle is the Rev and the one with the gold weight is the Obv. What I want to say is that even the Ashanti gold weight allegorizes a creature. It should be a Sawfish (Pristidae). See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawfish

Regards
MG

God created the ocean, we the boat. God created the wind, we the sail. He created the lull, we the paddle (African proverb)

muenz-goofy

#11
I am just back from a trip to Ethiopia and find myself very busy.

Ov/Rv. The old story. Obv should be the side that tells us about the issuer. The date is insignifiicant in this matter, as far as I learned. The Banque Centrale Etats del 'Afrique l'Ouest as the emitting bank with the Ashanti gold weight is the Obv. Maybe there is another one who will give a better comment. But this is a secondary question regarding Gingers questions.

By the way. It's cold and shabby in Germany.

Best Regards
Dietmar (MG)
God created the ocean, we the boat. God created the wind, we the sail. He created the lull, we the paddle (African proverb)

ghipszky

Welcome to the group muenz-goofy and thanks for the further information on this coin.
Ginger