Changes: Dahomey 100 franc coin

100 francs
	Coin with "999.9" hallmark under "FRANCS"
General information
Country	Dahomey
Value	100.00 CFA francs
Years	1971
Measurements and composition
Mass	5.15 g
Diameter	22 mm
Composition	silver
Appearance
Shape	round
Alignment	coin
Edge	reeded
Obverse	Coat of arms of Dahomey, state title, value, year
Reverse	Ganvié
	v · d · e

Latest revision as of 19:04, 1 January 2018

This article is about the coin of the Republic of Dahomey. For later coins of Benin, see Beninese 100 franc coin.

The 100 franc coin is a commemorative piece issued in 1971 by the former Republic of Dahomey, now the Republic of Benin. It was minted in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Dahomey's independence from France in 1960. Prior to its eventual demonetization, the piece carried a legal tender face value equivalent to 100.00 West African CFA francs in its country of origin. However, as a non-circulating legal tender (NCLT) coin, it was intended primarily for collectors and did not see any general circulation.

The piece was produced alongside other commemoratives denominated at 200; 500; 1,000; 2,500; 5,000; 10,000; and 25,000 francs.

The coin is composed of .999 fine silver, weighs 5.15 grams, and measures 22 millimeters in diameter. It has coin alignment and a reeded edge, and like most coins, is round in shape. The rims of both the obverse and reverse are raised and decorated with a beaded border.

Displayed at the upper center of the obverse is a rendition of the coat of arms of Dahomey – which consists of a quartered central escutcheon showing a castle in the style of the Somba in the upper left field, the Order of the Black Star in the upper right, a palm tree in the lower left, and a sailing ship in the lower right. Supporting the escutcheon are two leopards (Panthera pardus). Two horns are shown at the top of the arms, and a ribbon bearing the Dahomeyan national motto in French, "FRATERNITE JUSTICE TRAVAIL" (English: "Fellowship, Justice, Work"), is shown at the bottom. "REPUBLIQUE DU DAHOMEY", the French equivalent of "Republic of Dahomey", is written in a clockwise direction along the rims of the piece, flanking the illustration of the arms. The word "REPUBLIQUE", which lacks the acute over the first "E", is engraved along the obverse's left periphery, while the "DU DAHOMEY" is inscribed by the right boundary. Printed to the right of "REPUBLIQUE" in a smaller font, arched toward the left side of the coin, is the date "1^er Août 1970", which translates to English as "August 1st, 1970". This identifies the date of Dahomey's decennial of independence. It is accompanied by "10^ème Anniversaire", meaning "10th anniversary". This inscription appears to the left of "DU DAHOMEY", and curves toward the right side of the piece. Written at the top of the obverse between the horns in the arms is the Gregorian date of minting, "1971". The face value "100 FRANCS CFA" is engraved horizontally on three lines below the arms, with the numeral displayed in a larger font than the following words. An oval-shaped hallmark indicating the coin's silver purity is included in one of three positions on the obverse. The number "999.9" appears in the mark on some pieces above the "100" in the value or below the "S" in "FRANCS", and a "1000" is sometimes featured in lieu of the "999.9" under the "S". Ganvié, a lake village in Dahomey (and later Benin), is depicted in an illustration on the reverse. In the image, two people wearing hats are shown paddling boats near indigenous stilt houses. The caption "GANVIE" appears below, written in a counterclockwise direction along the coin's bottom rim.

A total of 4,650 examples of the piece were struck, all with a proof finish.

References[]

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – 1971 Dahomey 100 Francs, KM# 1.1 • 1971 Dahomey 100 Francs, KM# 1.2 • 1971 Dahomey 100 Francs, KM# 1.3
Numista – 100 Francs (Independence) (Dahomey) (English) (French)
Republic of Dahomey on the English Wikipedia

v · d · e Currency of Dahomey
Banknotes	0.50 F • 1 F
Coins	100 F • 200 F • 500 F • 1,000 F • 2,500 F • 5,000 F • 10,000 F • 25,000 F
Miscellaneous	Currency of Benin • French West African franc • West African CFA franc

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 The coin is composed of .999 fine [[silver]], weighs 5.15 grams, and measures 22 millimeters in diameter. It has [[coin alignment]] and a reeded [[edge]], and like most coins, is round in [[shape]]. The [[rim]]s of both the [[obverse]] and [[reverse]] are raised and decorated with a beaded border.
-Displayed at the upper center of the obverse is a rendition of the {{wp|en|Coat of arms of Benin|coat of arms of Dahomey}} &ndash; which consists of a quartered central {{wp|en|Escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon}} showing a {{wp|en|castle}} in the style of the {{wp|en|Somba people|Somba}} in the upper left field, the {{wp|en|Order of the Black Star}} in the upper right, a {{wp|en|palm tree}} in the lower left, and a {{wp|en|sailing ship}} in the lower right. Supporting the escutcheon are two {{wp|en|Leopard|leopards}} (''[[wikispecies:Panthera pardus|Panthera pardus]]''). Two horns are shown at the top of the arms, and a {{wp|en|ribbon}} bearing the Dahomeyan {{wp|en|national motto}} in {{wp|en|French language|French}}, "FRATERNITE JUSTICE TRAVAIL" ({{wp|en|English language|English}}: "Fellowship, Justice, Work"), is shown at the bottom. "REPUBLIQUE DU DAHOMEY", the French equivalent of "Republic of Dahomey", is written in a clockwise direction along the rims of the piece, flanking the illustration of the arms. The word "REPUBLIQUE", which lacks the {{wp|en|Acute accent|acute}} over the first "E", is engraved along the obverse's left periphery, while the "DU DAHOMEY" is inscribed by the right boundary. Printed to the right of "REPUBLIQUE" in a smaller font, arched toward the left side of the coin, is the date "1<sup><u>er</u></sup> Août 1970", which translates to English as "August 1st, 1970". This identifies the date of Dahomey's decennial of independence. It is accompanied by "10<sup><u>ème</u></sup> Anniversaire", meaning "10th anniversary". This inscription appears to the left of "DU DAHOMEY", and curves toward the right side of the piece. Written at the top of the obverse between the horns in the arms is the {{wp|en|Gregorian calendar|Gregorian}} date of minting, "1971". The face value "100 FRANCS CFA" is engraved horizontally on three lines below the arms, with the numeral displayed in a larger font than the following words. An {{wp|en|oval}}-shaped hallmark indicating the coin's silver purity is included in one of three positions on the obverse. The number "999.9" appears in the mark on some pieces above the "100" in the value or below the "S" in "FRANCS", and a "1000" is sometimes featured in lieu of the "999.9" under the "S". {{wp|en|Ganvié}}, a lake village in Dahomey (and later Benin), is depicted in an illustration on the reverse. In the image, two people wearing {{wp|en|Hat|hats}} are shown paddling {{wp|en|Boat|boats}} near indigenous {{wp|en|Stilt house|stilt houses}}. The caption "GANVIE" appears below, written in a counterclockwise direction along the coin's bottom rim.
+Displayed at the upper center of the obverse is a rendition of the {{wp|en|Coat of arms of Benin|coat of arms of Dahomey}} &ndash; which consists of a quartered central {{wp|en|Escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon}} showing a {{wp|en|castle}} in the style of the {{wp|en|Somba people|Somba}} in the upper left field, the {{wp|en|Order of the Black Star}} in the upper right, a {{wp|en|palm tree}} in the lower left, and a {{wp|en|sailing ship}} in the lower right. Supporting the escutcheon are two {{wp|en|Leopard|leopards}} (''{{wsp|Panthera pardus}}''). Two horns are shown at the top of the arms, and a {{wp|en|ribbon}} bearing the Dahomeyan {{wp|en|national motto}} in {{wp|en|French language|French}}, "FRATERNITE JUSTICE TRAVAIL" ({{wp|en|English language|English}}: "Fellowship, Justice, Work"), is shown at the bottom. "REPUBLIQUE DU DAHOMEY", the French equivalent of "Republic of Dahomey", is written in a clockwise direction along the rims of the piece, flanking the illustration of the arms. The word "REPUBLIQUE", which lacks the {{wp|en|Acute accent|acute}} over the first "E", is engraved along the obverse's left periphery, while the "DU DAHOMEY" is inscribed by the right boundary. Printed to the right of "REPUBLIQUE" in a smaller font, arched toward the left side of the coin, is the date "1<sup><u>er</u></sup> Août 1970", which translates to English as "August 1st, 1970". This identifies the date of Dahomey's decennial of independence. It is accompanied by "10<sup><u>ème</u></sup> Anniversaire", meaning "10th anniversary". This inscription appears to the left of "DU DAHOMEY", and curves toward the right side of the piece. Written at the top of the obverse between the horns in the arms is the {{wp|en|Gregorian calendar|Gregorian}} date of minting, "1971". The face value "100 FRANCS CFA" is engraved horizontally on three lines below the arms, with the numeral displayed in a larger font than the following words. An {{wp|en|oval}}-shaped hallmark indicating the coin's silver purity is included in one of three positions on the obverse. The number "999.9" appears in the mark on some pieces above the "100" in the value or below the "S" in "FRANCS", and a "1000" is sometimes featured in lieu of the "999.9" under the "S". {{wp|en|Ganvié}}, a lake village in Dahomey (and later Benin), is depicted in an illustration on the reverse. In the image, two people wearing {{wp|en|Hat|hats}} are shown paddling {{wp|en|Boat|boats}} near indigenous {{wp|en|Stilt house|stilt houses}}. The caption "GANVIE" appears below, written in a counterclockwise direction along the coin's bottom rim.
 A total of 4,650 examples of the piece were struck, all with a [[proof coin|proof]] finish.