30th August 2016
Summary of the collections acquired at Ghent.
The Belgian Congo was a Belgian colony in Central Africa between 1908 and 1960 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
1. Congo Free state (1865 - 1908)
Colonial rule in the Congo began in the late 19th century. King Leopold II of the Belgians persuaded the government to support colonial expansion around the then-largely unexplored Congo Basin. Their ambivalence resulted in Leopold's creating a colony on his own account. With support from a number of Western countries, Leopold achieved international recognition for a personal colony, the Congo Free State, in 1885.[5] By the turn of the century, however, the violence used by Free State officials against indigenous Congolese and a ruthless system of economic exploitation led to intense diplomatic pressure on Belgium to take official control of the country, which it did in 1908, creating the Belgian Congo.[6]Coins are available on market, good quality ones are around 20 - 30 euros.
2. Belgium Congo (1908 - 1960)
2.1 Leopard II (1908 - 1909)
(a) 10 Centimes, 1909
2.2 Albert I (1909 - 1934)
(b) 5 Centimes , 1910
(c)1 Franc (French legend), 1920
(d) 50 Centimes (French legend), 1921
2.3 1934~1951 Leopold III
(e) 1 franc 1944
2.4 Baudouin I (1951 - 1960)
3. Belgian Congo, Ruanda-Urundi (1952 - 1960)
(f) 50 centimes 1954
(g) 5 Francs 1956
4. Katanga (1960 - 1963)
Note. Congo Crisis
(h) 5 Francs 1961
5. Congo, Democratic Republic (Kinshasa)
Note 1965 independence
(i) 10 Francs 1965
(j)1 Likuta 1967
(k) 5 Makuta 1967
6. Zaire
(l) 20 Makuta, 1973, 1976
7. Rwanda (1964 - )
5 Francs (Cinq) 1977
10 Francs (Dix - Large type) 1977
20 Francs (Vingt) 1977
50 Francs (Cinquante) 1977
