Click on the Map for a larger view

Congo was a source of copper from the fifteenth century on, but no official coinage was issued until the Belgians took over the area in 1885. The Congo Free State (a personal possession of King Leopold II), with Leopold II as its sovereign, was established on July 1, 1885 as a result of the Treaty of Berlin. The Congo Free State was transferred from being the personal property of Leopold II to a Belgian colony and became the Belgian Congo on November 15, 1908. The Republic of the Congo gained its independence on July 1, 1960. Under Mobutu Sese Seko, the name of the Congo was changed to Zaire in October 27, 1971. The name was changed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 17, 1997 after Laurent Kabila deposed Mobutu Sese Seko.

The first coins were struck for the Belgian Congo in 1887. Belgian Francs circulated in the Belgian Congo until the Banque du Congo Belge was given the right to issue Francs at par with the Belgian Franc on July 18, 1911. Since Belgium was under German occupation, the Congo Franc was linked to the British Pound Sterling until June 1919. The Franc is divisible into 100 Centimes. The Banque du Congo was nationalized on July 30, 1951, lost its right to issue banknotes and became the Banque Centrale du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi which became a central bank with the sole right to issue banknotes in the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi beginning on July 1, 1952.

After gaining independence, the Congolese Franc (CDG) replaced the Belgian Congo Franc at par. On July 23, 1967 the Zaire (CDZ), divisible into 100 Makuta or 10,000 Sengi, replaced the Franc at the rate of 1 Zaire equal to 1000 Francs. A new Zaire (ZRN) was introduced on October 1, 1993 with 1 New Zaire equal to 3,000,000 old Zaires (ZRZ).

After renaming Zaire as the Congo, a new currency was introduced in July 1998 and named the Franc with 1 Democratic Congo Franc (CDF) equal to 100,000 Zaire New Zaires or 300,000,000,000,000 Belgian Congo Francs. Banknotes were issued by the Conseil Monetaire de la Republique du Congo in 1962 and 1963, by the Banque Nationale du Congo between 1961 and 1971, by the Banque du Zaire between 1971 and 1997, and by the Banque Centrale du Congo from 1997 until today.

Katanga was a southern province that declared its independence from the Congo on July 11, 1960, but it was conquered by the Congo by January 21, 1963 and was reincorporated into the Congo. During this period, the Banque Nationale du Katanga issued its own currency, the Katanga Franc (KATF) from August 2, 1960 until the demise of Katanga. The Katanga Franc were converted into Congolese Francs at parity. South Kasai also declared its independence from the Congo, but never issued any currency of its own.

• Krause# Pick-
• Signature:

Zaire - Oct. 27, 1971 to May 17, 1997.

Here is a 1 Nouveau Mikuta note dated 1993. The note is light brown on pink and multicolored underprint. The obverse features Mobutu (also known as Mobutu Sese Seko)in military dress to the right, denomination in the center, and a leaping leopard in the lower left. The reverse depicts Independence Monument to the left.

• Krause# Pick-47
• Signature: 9

Reverse

Here is a 1993 dated 5 Nouveau Makuta. The note is black on pale violet and blue-green underprint. The obverse features Mobutu (born October 1930 and died September 1997, was president for 31 years) in military dress to the right, a leaping leopard to the lower left and denominationin the center. The reverse depicts Independence Monument to the left.

• Krause# Pick-48
• Signature: 9

Reverse

This 10 Nouveaux Makuta note is dated 1993. The note is green on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Mobutu in military dress (it was Mobuta who renamed the country the Republic of Zaire in October 1971) to the right, a leaping leopard to the lower left and denomination in the center. The reverse depicts a factory and Pyramids in the center background, and flowers and elephant tusks to the left. There is a watermark on this note depicting Mobutu.

• Krause# Pick-49
• Signature: 9

Reverse

This note is dated 1993 and valued at 50 Nouveaux Makuta. The note is brown-orange on light green and multicolored underprint. The obverse features Mobutu in military dress (Mobutu died on September 7, 1997, in exile in Rabat, Morocco, from prostate cancer) to the right, a leaping leopard to the lower left, and denomination in the center. The reverse depicts a cheiftain to the left and fishermen in the center. This note has a watermark of Mobutu.

• Krause# Pick-51
• Signature: 9

Reverse

Here is a 1994 dated note valued at 200 Nouveaux Zaires. The note is deep olive brown on orange and multicolored underprint. The obverse depicts Mobutu (Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga, born October 14, 1930 and died September 7, 1997, was the President of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) for 32 years from 1965 to 1997) in military dress tothe right, national coat of arms to the lower right and a leaping leopard right center. The reverse shows men fishing with stick nets at left center. Mobutu is depicted as the notes watermark. Signature 10.

• Krause# Pick-61
• Signature: Ndiang Kabul

Reverse

Congo Democratic Republic -May 1997 to present

This 5 Centimes note is dated 1997. The note is purple on multicolored underprint. The obverse features a Suku mask at left and the bank monogam in the center. The reverse depicts a Zande Harp. The note has a watermark depicting either a single Okapi head or multiple heards repeated vertically.

• Krause# Pick-81a
• Signature: Jean-Claude Masangu Mulongo

Reverse

This note is valued at 50 Centimes and dated 1997. The note is dark brown and brown on multicolored underprint. The obverse features the head of an Okapi to the left. The reverse depicts a family of Akapi near the center. The Okapi serves as the notes watermark with multiple heads repeated vertically.

• Krause# Pick-84a
• Signature: Jean-Claude Masangu Mulongo

Reverse