Banknotes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo or Congo-Kinshasa is a country in Central Africa bordering the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. It remains largely unexplored to this day, but was first mapped by Pierre de Brazza, which allowed for Leopold II of Belgium to lay claim to the region as the Congo Free State during the Scramble for Africa in 1885. Reports of human rights abuses on rubber farms there led the Belgian government to take over the territory in 1908, and it became the Belgian Congo, or Lower Congo to distinguish it from the French Congo, or Middle Congo. Ruanda-Urundi (now Rwanda and Burundi) was attached to it from German East Africa after WWI in 1919; it was a supplier of uranium to the Allies in WWII, and gained it's formal independence from Belgium after the war in 1960. After attempted secession by Katanga, the DRC became an anti-communist right-wing dictatorship during the Cold War, known as Zaïre until 1997. After two civil wars in 1996-2003, the DRC is only a little closer to democracy as of 2018. It currently has a population of about 78.7 million, and uses the Congolese franc. The Belgian Congo was first acquired by King Léopold II in 1885 as the Congo Free State, and coinage on par with the Belgian Franc was issued in 1887-1892. The Congo Free State became notorious for human rights abuses, and was given to the Belgian government in 1908, whereupon coins in the Belgian Congolese Franc were issued starting in 1911. Ruanda-Urundi was attached to it following its acquisition from Germany in 1919. During the 2nd World War, the Belgian Free Forces were based in the Belgian Congo, and brass and silver coinage was minted. The colony became independent as the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960. The Congo Free State is the former name of present-day Republic of Congo, when it was awarded to the Belgian King Leopold II during the Berlin Conference in 1885. He made a lot of money exploiting the locals for his rubber enterprises. Due to bad conditions and epidemics many millions of Congolese died, but no accurate records exist. International pressure led to the annexation of Congo Free State by the Belgian state in 1908, which marked the start of Belgian Congo.
Wikidata: Q974

Periods from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) (1960-1971), Zaire (1971-1997), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997-date)

Display options95 results found.
Order by: face value - ruling authority - type - date - reference
Results per page: 10 - 20 - 50 - 100 - 200

Congo, Democratic Republic of the › Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) (1960-1971) • Franc (1960-1967)

100 Centimes = 1 Franc

Available for swap 100 Francs
1963

Standard banknote

P# 1, N# 259287
1000 Francs
1962

Standard banknote
184 × 106 mm
P# 2, N# 259288
5000 Francs
1963

Standard banknote

P# 3, N# 259289
Available for swap 20 Francs
1961-1962

Standard banknote

P# 4, N# 259291
Available for swap 50 Francs
1961-1962

Standard banknote
140 × 63 mm
P# 5, N# 201828
Available for swap 100 Francs
1961-1964

Standard banknote

P# 6, N# 259293
500 Francs
1961-1964

Standard banknote

P# 7, N# 259294
Available for swap 1000 Francs
1961-1964

Standard banknote

P# 8, N# 220639

Congo, Democratic Republic of the › Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) (1960-1971) • Zaire (1967-1993)

100 Sengi = 1 Likuta • 100 Makuta = 1 Zaïre

Available for swap 10 Makuta
1967-1970

Standard banknote
138 × 64 mm
P# 9, N# 233745
Available for swap 20 Makuta
1967-1970

Standard banknote
156 × 66 mm
P# 10, N# 242365
Available for swap 50 Makuta
1967-1970

Standard banknote
150 × 69 mm
P# 11, N# 242367
Available for swap 1 Zaire
1967-1970

Standard banknote
160 × 72 mm
P# 12, TBB# 209, N# 259296
5 Zaires
1967-1970

Standard banknote
171 × 76 mm
P# 13, N# 259298

Congo, Democratic Republic of the › Zaire (1971-1997) • Zaire (1967-1993)

100 Sengi = 1 Likuta • 100 Makuta = 1 Zaïre

Available for swap 5 Zaires
1971

Standard banknote
170 × 82 mm
P# 14, N# 259301
10 Zaires
1971

Standard banknote
180 × 89 mm
P# 15, N# 259303
Available for swap 50 Makuta
1973-1979

Standard banknote
149 × 75 mm
P# 16, N# 212327
Available for swap 50 Makuta
1979-1980

Standard banknote
151 × 75 mm
P# 17, N# 201666
Available for swap 1 Zaïre
1972-1977 (1971-1980)

Standard banknote
158 × 78 mm
P# 18, N# 202290
Available for swap 1 Zaire
1979-1981

Standard banknote
160 × 80 mm
P# 19, N# 205073
5 Zaïres
1972

Standard banknote

P# 20, N# 259597
Available for swap 5 Zaïres
1974-1977

Standard banknote
170 × 85 mm
P# 21, N# 206166
Available for swap 5 Zaires
1979-1980

Standard banknote
170 × 84 mm
P# 22, N# 210408
Available for swap 10 Zaïres
1972-1977

Standard banknote
180 × 90 mm
P# 23, N# 209904
Available for swap 10 Zaires
1979-1981

Standard banknote
180 × 91 mm
P# 24, N# 210410
50 Zaires
1980

Standard banknote

P# 25, N# 210411
Available for swap 5 Zaires
1982-1985

Standard banknote
133 × 64 mm
P# 26, P# 26A, N# 205068
Available for swap 10 Zaïres
1982-1985

Standard banknote
138 × 65 mm
P# 27, P# 27A, N# 206327
Available for swap 50 Zaïres
1982-1985

Standard banknote
145 × 70 mm
P# 28, N# 216657
100 Zaïres
1983-1985

Standard banknote
149 × 72 mm
P# 29, N# 216658
Available for swap 500 Zaïres
1984-1985

Standard banknote
154 × 75 mm
P# 30, N# 230787
1000 Zaïres
1985

Standard banknote
159 × 79 mm
P# 31, N# 230788
Available for swap 50 Zaires
1988

Standard banknote
130 × 61 mm
P# 32, N# 207987
Available for swap 100 Zaires
1988

Standard banknote
134 × 64 mm
P# 33, N# 216660
Available for swap 500 Zaires
1989

Standard banknote
138 × 67 mm
P# 34, N# 216663
1000 Zaires
1989

Standard banknote
144 × 70 mm
P# 35, N# 216667
Available for swap 2000 Zaires
1991

Standard banknote
123 × 58 mm
P# 36, N# 222162
Available for swap 5000 Zaires
1988

Standard banknote
150 × 73 mm
P# 37, N# 210412
Available for swap 10 000 Zaïres
1989

Standard banknote
155 × 75 mm
P# 38, N# 259598
Available for swap 20 000 Zaïres
1991

Standard banknote
137 × 65 mm
P# 39, N# 216754
Available for swap 50 000 Zaires
1991

Standard banknote
158 × 77 mm
P# 40, N# 205727
Available for swap 100 000 Zaires
1992

Standard banknote
158 × 79 mm
P# 41, N# 224900
Available for swap 200 000 Zaires
1992

Standard banknote
144 × 69 mm
P# 42, N# 210413
Available for swap 500 000 Zaïres
1992

Standard banknote
159 × 76 mm
P# 43, N# 216762
Available for swap 1 000 000 Zaires
1992-1993

Standard banknote
160 × 79 mm
P# 44, P# 45, N# 212334
Available for swap 5 000 000 Zaïres
1992

Standard banknote
165 × 79 mm
P# 46, N# 208137

Congo, Democratic Republic of the › Zaire (1971-1997) • New Zaire (1993-1998)

100 Makuta = 1 Zaïre

Available for swap 1 Nouveau Likuta
1993

Standard banknote
124 × 58 mm
P# 47, N# 205474
Available for swap 5 Nouveaux Makuta
1993

Standard banknote
124 × 58 mm
P# 48, N# 205050
Available for swap 10 Nouveaux Makuta
1993

Standard banknote
158 × 79 mm
P# 49, N# 205040
Available for swap 50 Nouveaux Makuta
1993

Standard banknote
158 × 79 mm
P# 51, N# 204039
Available for swap 1 Nouveau Zaïre
1993

Standard banknote
158 × 79 mm
P# 52, N# 207430

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