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5 Francs 1943, Belgian Congo

in Krause book Number: 13Aa
Years of issue: 10.01.1943
Edition: 45000000
Signatures: Le Directeur Adjoint en Afrique: Richard Baseleer, Le Directeur en Afrique: René Goeman
Serie: Banque du Congo Belge
Specimen of: 1914
Material: 100% raw cotton
Size (mm): 102 x 80
Printer: Waterlow and Sons Limited, London

* All pictures marked magnify are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.

** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.

5 Francs 1943

Description

Watermark:

Unclear pattern, looks like five-pointed stars.

Avers:

5 Francs 1943

Woman and a child with the spindle in the hands and sits near the hive.

emblem of belgian congo

Right, on the background, emblem of Belgian Congo.

The heraldic history of Congo begins on June 21, 1877, when the African International Association (AIA), created in September, 1876 on the initiative of the King of Belgium Leopold II "to open Africa to the civilisation and to abolish the draft of the slaves", chooses as emblem a blue flag with a golden star in the centre. The star symbolised the hope enlightening the African darkness. This flag would have been inspired by the king himself.

Used by several explorers engaged in the service of Leopold II, who hoisted it on the stations which they install on the Congolese territory, this flag quickly becomes the mark of King Leopold II in central Africa.

The emblem is adopted again in 1882 by the International Association of Congo ( IAC) which had been created in the meantime by the King.

At the Congress of Berlin, in February 1885, the IAC becomes the Independent State of Congo ( ISC) and Leopold II becomes the sovereign. When a coat of arms is granted to the Independent State of Congo, after its recognition as sovereign state by Belgium, on May 29, 1885, it is inspired by the older flag of the AIA.

Overprint: Troisieme EMISSION - 1943 (Third issue).

Denominations in numerals are in all corners. In words in center.

Revers:

5 Francs 1943

African elephant and hippopotamus in the middle.

Denominations in numerals are right and left. In words in bottom, center.

Comments:

Interesting facts:

1) Area of the possessions of HM King Leopold II in the Congo was 76 times the size of Belgium itself.

2) In the 1890s, Burundi (Ruanda - Burundi) was a German colony, and after World War I became a part of the Belgian Congo.

3) Uranium for atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was produced on the Congolese mines of Katanga province.