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 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
Available for swap 100 Francs
1963

Standard banknote

P# 1, N# 259287
500 Francs
1961-1964

Standard banknote

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

Standard banknote

P# 8, N# 220639
1000 Francs
1962

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

Standard banknote

P# 3, N# 259289

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 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
Available for swap 5 Zaires
1971

Standard banknote
170 × 82 mm
P# 14, N# 259301
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
5 Zaïres (Provisional issue)
ND (1980-1989)

Local banknote

P# R3, N# 259602
Available for swap 5 Zaires
1982-1985

Standard banknote
133 × 64 mm
P# 26, P# 26A, N# 205068
10 Zaires
1971

Standard banknote
180 × 89 mm
P# 15, N# 259303
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
10 Zaïres (Provisional issue)
ND (1980-1989)

Local banknote

P# R4, N# 259603
Available for swap 10 Zaïres
1982-1985

Standard banknote
138 × 65 mm
P# 27, P# 27A, N# 206327
50 Zaires
1980

Standard banknote

P# 25, N# 210411
Available for swap 50 Zaïres
1982-1985

Standard banknote
145 × 70 mm
P# 28, N# 216657
Available for swap 50 Zaires
1988

Standard banknote
130 × 61 mm
P# 32, N# 207987
100 Zaïres
1983-1985

Standard banknote
149 × 72 mm
P# 29, N# 216658
Available for swap 100 Zaires
1988

Standard banknote
134 × 64 mm
P# 33, N# 216660
Available for swap 500 Zaïres
1984-1985

Standard banknote
154 × 75 mm
P# 30, N# 230787
Available for swap 500 Zaires
1989

Standard banknote
138 × 67 mm
P# 34, N# 216663
1000 Zaïres
1985

Standard banknote
159 × 79 mm
P# 31, N# 230788
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
Available for swap 5 Nouveaux Zaïres
1993

Standard banknote
158 × 79 mm
P# 53, N# 216744
Available for swap 10 Nouveaux Zaïres
1993

Standard banknote
159 × 79 mm
P# 54, P# 55, N# 207850
Available for swap 20 Nouveaux Zaïres
1993

Standard banknote
160 × 79 mm
P# 56, N# 212329
Available for swap 50 Nouveaux Zaïres
1993

Standard banknote
160 × 79 mm
P# 57, N# 224906
Available for swap 50 Nouveaux Zaïres
1994

Standard banknote

P# 59, N# 259601
Available for swap 100 Nouveaux Zaïres
1993-1994

Standard banknote
160 × 80 mm
P# 58, P# 60, N# 259600
Available for swap 200 Nouveaux Zaïres
1994

Standard banknote
156 × 77 mm
P# 61, P# 62, N# 205732
Available for swap 500 Nouveaux Zaïres
1994

Standard banknote
158 × 79 mm
P# 63, P# 64, N# 203751
Available for swap 500 Nouveaux Zaïres
1995

Standard banknote
158 × 74 mm
P# 65, N# 230192
Available for swap 1000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1995

Standard banknote
157 × 73 mm
P# 66, P# 67, N# 224350
Available for swap 5000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1995

Standard banknote
158 × 74 mm
P# 69, P# 68, N# 215262
Available for swap 10 000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1995

Standard banknote
159 × 74 mm
P# 70, P# 71, N# 238508
20 000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1996

Standard banknote
159 × 74 mm
P# 72, P# 73, N# 240902
50 000 Nouveau Zaïres
1996

Standard banknote
158 × 74 mm
P# 74, P# 75, N# 230195
Available for swap 100 000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1996

Standard banknote
160 × 74 mm
P# 76, P# 77, N# 224908
Available for swap 100 000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1996

Standard banknote

P# 77A, N# 308840
Available for swap 500 000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1996

Standard banknote
159 × 74 mm
P# 78, N# 224907
1 000 000 Nouveaux Zaïres
1996

Standard banknote
160 × 74 mm
P# 79, N# 215405

Congo, Democratic Republic of the › Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997-date) • Franc (1998-date)

100 Centimes = 1 Franc

Available for swap 1 Centime
1997

Standard banknote
120 × 70 mm
P# 80, N# 205850
Available for swap 5 Centimes
1997

Standard banknote
120 × 70 mm
P# 81, N# 206599
Available for swap 10 Centimes
1997

Standard banknote
120 × 70 mm
P# 82, N# 206600
Available for swap 20 Centimes
1997

Standard banknote
120 × 70 mm
P# 83, N# 206601
Available for swap 50 Centimes
1997

Standard banknote
120 × 70 mm
P# 84, P# 84A, N# 216175
Available for swap 1 Francs
1997

Standard banknote
149 × 70 mm
P# 85, N# 219063
Available for swap 5 Francs
1997

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 86, P# 86A, N# 211883
Available for swap 10 Francs
1997

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 87, P# 87A, P# 87B, N# 219062
Available for swap 10 Francs
2003

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 93, P# 93A, N# 203531
Available for swap 20 Francs
1997

Standard banknote
145 × 71 mm
P# 88, P# 88A, N# 224103
Available for swap 20 Francs
2003

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 94, P# 94A, N# 203529
50 Francs
1997

Standard banknote

P# 89, N# 259305
Available for swap 50 Francs
2000

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 91, P# 91A, N# 218086
Available for swap 50 Francs
2007-2022

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 97, P# 97A, N# 203254
100 Francs
1997

Standard banknote

P# 90, P# 90A, N# 259306
Available for swap 100 Francs
2000

Standard banknote
152 × 70 mm
P# 92, P# 92A, N# 212340
Available for swap 100 Francs
2007-2022

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 98, P# 98A, N# 203249
Available for swap 200 Francs
2000

Standard banknote
144 × 72 mm
P# 95, P# 95A, N# 224104
Available for swap 200 Francs
2007-2022

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 99, P# 99A, N# 203245
Available for swap 500 Francs
2002-2022

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 96, P# 96A, P# 96B, P# 96C, N# 212968
Available for swap 500 Francs (Independence)
2010

Commemorative note: 50th Anniversary of Independence
151 × 70 mm
P# 100, N# 214107
Available for swap 1000 Francs
2005-2022

Standard banknote
141 × 73 mm
P# 101, N# 212947
5000 Francs
2005-2022

Standard banknote
146 × 73 mm
P# 102, N# 216767
10 000 Francs
2006-2022

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 103, N# 259308
20 000 Francs
2006-2022

Standard banknote
150 × 70 mm
P# 104, N# 259310

A banknote is missing in the catalogue? Add it yourself!