The Republic of Chad uses the Central African CFA Franc as its currency; it is the common currency of six independent states in central Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The CFA Franc has both common and national issues. All common circulating coins are issued under the authority of CEMAC ("Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale" - Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) and have no issuing country. Separately, each member country can strike coins bearing its national symbols; these coins are legal tender in the other members of the bloc too.
Chad has authorised some foreign mints to strike coins under its issuing authority for collector's purposes, or as bullion. These are usually dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to the country itself. Many of them are in standard bullion sizes, such as the internationally popular one troy ounce of gold format, such as this coin.
This design is the ninth release in the Mandala Wildlife series, and features the Crocodile.
The Mandala Wildlife series features 1 oz Gold and 1 oz Silver coins with unique designs of different animals, each with a beautiful mandala print. These coins have limited mintages, along with a changing design per release, adding to their collectibility.
The crocodile has a V-shaped narrow and long head, unlike the alligator who has a U-shaped snout. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes and wetlands. They are carnivorous animals, feeding mostly on fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. There are many species of crocodiles, many originating from and living in Africa. Crocodiles have very acute senses, giving them an advantage against their predators. The eyes, ears and nostrils are all located on the top of the crocodile's head, allowing them to lie low in the water and making them harder for predators to spot. These fascinating animals are often found roaming the rivers of Africa, making them a perfect addition to the Republic of Chad Mandala Wildlife series. |
Obverse | |
At centre, the obverse of the coin displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Chad. It features a shield with jagged lines, with a sun rising over it. The shield is supported by a goat and a lion. Below the shield is a medal (the insigne of the National Order of Chad) and a scroll with the national motto in French: UNITE TRAVAIL PROGRES ("Unité, Travail, Progrès" in French - one of the official languages of the country; "Unity, Work, Progress" in English). The shield supporters as well as the scroll feature an arrow pointing upwards.
In large letters around above, the name of the country in French: REPUBLIQUE DU TCHAD, followed by the date of issue: 2022.
Around below, the face value 50000 FRANCS CFA (fifty thousand Central African CFA Francs). |
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