Coinage of Rwanda

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Map of East Africa


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Map of Rwanda

From Wikipedia:

The Republic of Rwanda is a country in Central and East Africa and one of the smallest countries on the African mainland. It has a population of around 11 million.

The Berlin Conference of 1884 assigned the territory to Germany as part of German East Africa, marking the beginning of the colonial era. The Germans did not significantly alter the social structure of the country, but exerted influence by supporting the king and the existing hierarchy and delegating power to local chiefs. Belgian forces took control of Rwanda and Burundi in 1916, during World War I, beginning a period of more direct colonial rule. Belgium ruled both Rwanda and Burundi as a League of Nations mandate called Ruanda-Urundi.

Belgium continued to rule Ruanda-Urundi (of which Rwanda formed the northern part) as a UN Trust Territory after the Second World War, with a mandate to oversee eventual independence. Tensions escalated between the Tutsi, who favoured early independence, and the Hutu emancipation movement, culminating in the 1959 Rwandan Revolution: Hutu activists began killing Tutsi and destroying their houses, forcing more than 100,000 people to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. In 1961, the suddenly pro-Hutu Belgians held a referendum in which the country voted to abolish the monarchy. Rwanda was separated from Burundi and gained independence on 1 July 1962.

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The first coat of arms of independent Rwanda.

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The first flag of independent Rwanda.

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THE RWANDAN FRANC.

From Wikipedia:

The franc became the currency of Rwanda in 1916, when Belgium occupied the previously German colony and the Belgian Congo franc replaced the German East African rupie. Rwanda used the currency of Belgian Congo until 1960, when the Rwanda and Burundi franc was introduced.

Rwanda began issuing its own francs in 1964. Coins were introduced for 1, 5 and 10 francs. The 1 and 10 francs were in copper-nickel and the 5 francs in bronze.

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From Wikipedia:

Grégoire Kayibanda (1924 – 1976) was the first elected and second President of the Republic of Rwanda. He led Rwanda's struggle for independence from Belgium, and replaced the Tutsi monarchy with a republican form of government. He asserted Hutu majority power. Kayibanda served as President of Rwanda from 1962 until July 5, 1973, when he was overthrown by his defense minister Major General Juvénal Habyarimana in a military coup. The new government held Kayibanda and his wife in a secret location, where they were reportedly starved to death.

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The copper-nickel 1 franc coin, issued in 1964 and 1965.

The obverse features a portrait of the president, while the reverse shows the coat of arms.

Belgian artist Carlos Van Dionant produced the portrait of the president.

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Surprisingly, the 5 francs coin of 1964 and 1965 was minted in bronze.

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The 10 francs coin of this set, issued in 1964 only, was minted in copper-nickel.

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The next coin to be issued was the 1 franc coin of 1969.

Christopher Ironside of the Royal Mint (UK) designed the new portrait of the president.

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An aluminium half franc coin was minted in 1970 only.

This was the only Rwandan coin issued with the year "1970".

It was also the only Rwandan half franc coin ever issued.


Before 1970 all Rwandan coins had featured the president on the reverse.

The coat of arms had appeared on the reverse.


After 1969 the president's portrait never again appeared on the circulation coins.

Uniquely, this coin shows neither a presidential portrait nor a coat of arms.

After 1970 as before, the coat of arms once more appeared on the obverse of the coins.


This was the only Rwanda coin that referenced the issuing authority on both sides.

The issuing authority was the National Bank of Rwanda.


The word URUMIYA means "half" in Kinyarwanda, Rwanda's national language.

Until 2003, this was the only coin that featured the national language.

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A FAO-themed 2 francs coin was issued in 1970.

The motto translates as: LET'S INCREASE PRODUCTION.


The reverse design shows a boy pouring coffee beans into a basket.

This design was again the work of Christopher Ironside.


That coin and that denomination were used only in 1970 and never afterwards.

This was also Rwanda's only ever scalloped coin.

See also: 

1] Scalloped coins.

2] New denominations that countries introduced for circulating commemoratives only.

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From 1974 to 1985, Rwanda issued an aluminium 1 franc coin.

The coat of arms appeared on the obverse.

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The reverse of the 1 franc coin depicted an African finger millet plant: Eleusine coracana.

The designer was English artist Leslie Durbin.

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From 1974 to 1987, a bronze 5 francs coin was issued.

Leslie Durbin again created the reverse design, which featured a coffee plant.

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In 1974 a copper-nickel 10 francs coin was issued.

The reverse design depicted yet another coffee plant.

This design was also the work of Leslie Durbin.

This coin was issued again in 1985 only.

The 1985 version was reduced in size and weight.