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1 Franc CFA
| Issuer | Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1961-1975 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | At center, the stylized emblem of the Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest — a traditional African mask superimposed over a star — flanked by the large denomination numerals '1' to the left and 'F.' to the right. The circular legend 'BANQUE CENTRALE' arcs along the upper periphery, while 'ETATS DE L'AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST' runs along the lower periphery. Two small mint privy marks appear in the field on either side of the central device. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A finely detailed facing head of a gazelle (antelope) rendered in high relief at center, its elongated ringed horns extending upward toward the upper field. The animal is depicted emerging from a lush arrangement of millet and maize stalks that flank it symmetrically on both sides. A decorative beaded border frames the composition on the upper half, and the four-digit date appears in the lower exergue, flanked by small ornamental devices. |
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| Additional information |
The CFA franc itself was created by decree on December 26, 1945, initially pegged to the French franc as France reorganized its colonial monetary arrangements following Bretton Woods. When the West African states gained independence in the early 1960s, the BCEAO was established to issue coinage in their collective name — a pooled currency arrangement that persisted, with France guaranteeing convertibility through the French Treasury, long after the flags changed.
The aluminium-magnesium composition was a deliberate choice for low-denomination coinage in tropical climates, where humidity destroys steel and copper alloys corrode aggressively. These circulated hard across eight nations simultaneously.