Common Designs from the BEAC, 1973-1984
The Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale (BEAC) was created in 1972 to provide monetary policy, including a common banknote series, for the countries of the Union Douanière et Économique de l’Afrique Centrale (UDEAC) which includes the Central African States of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo and Gabon.
The first banknotes to come out of the BEAC were the 1974 issues, a set of four notes (500F, 1000F, 5000F and 10,000F) for each country in the UDEAC. Raymond Vaudiau provided the artwork for the notes, with a unique face design for each country showing typical native people and scenes of each country. The back of each denomination carries a common design.
The higher denominations of these notes are quite rare, and unfortunately I don't have them all to display here.
500F Education
The banknote faces were engraved by different artist for each country: Congo: J. Hérouard; Gabon & Central African Republic: H. Renaud; Chad: Poilliot; Cameroon: J. Jubert. The common back was engraved by J. Hérouard.
The initial issue from 1974-78 was printed by Banque de France with an intaglio pass over color lithography. Later issues from 1980 onwards were printed by François-Charles Oberthür, purely with lithographic press.
Students and chemical testing
Young woman from Chad and view of Lake Chad and birds
Jean-Bédel Bokassa and view of hydro-electric dam at Boali
Congo woman and Mangrove trees in the North of the Congo
Gabonese woman and logging scene
Peulh woman and University of Yaoundé
Woman weaving wicker basket, farm crops
1000F Transportation
The banknote faces were engraved by different artist for each country: Congo: Poilliot; Gabon, Central African Republic and Chad: H. Renaud; Cameroon: J. Jubert. The common back was engraved by J. Hérouard.
The initial issue from 1974-78 was printed by Banque de France with an intaglio pass over color lithography. Later issues from 1980 onwards were printed by François-Charles Oberthür, purely with lithographic press.
Planes, trains and bridge
Young Peulh shepherd and tourist camp at Bou Karou
Bokassa, water buffalos on the savanna, and rhinoceros
Native woman from Chad and cotton field
King Makoko 1st and oil refinery at Pointe Noire
President O. Bongo, ship and Sogara oil refinery at Port Gentil
Butterfly, waterfall and water buffalo
5000F Industry and Energy
The banknote faces were engraved by different artist for each country: Congo: Jubert; Gabon: Unknown; Central African Republic: Combet; Chad: Unknown; Cameroon: Armanelli (F), Marciat (B), Piel (Intaglio).
The 5000 and 10,000f issues were all printed by Banque de France with an intaglio pass over color lithography.
Industry and energy
President Bokassa, field workers and combine
President Tombalbaye and fabric printing factory at Sarh, Chad
Young woman and fabric printing factory at Sarh, Chad
Amadou Ahidjo and railroad laying machine
Native Bateke healer and chutes at Djoue hydro-electric power station
President O. Bongo, oil refinery and pit mining
10,000F Farming
The banknote faces were engraved by different artist for each country: Congo: Unknown; Gabon: Combet; Central African Republic: J. Hérouard (F), Combet (B); Chad: Durrens; Cameroon: Betemps.
The 5000 and 10,000f issues were all printed by Banque de France with an intaglio pass over color lithography.
Tractor plowing
Amadou Ahidjo and tropical fruits
President Tombalbaye, Water Buffalo
Young Congolese Woman and Parade
President O. Bongo and Manganese mine
Emperor Bokassa I, Sword Hilts