Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 10 Francs 1999, KM# 21, Congo, Democratic Republic, Explorers of Africa, Henry Morton Stanley
  • 10 Francs 1999, KM# 21, Congo, Democratic Republic, Explorers of Africa, Henry Morton Stanley
Description

European exploration of sub-Saharan Africa began during the 15th century's Age of Discovery, led by Portugal under Henry the Navigator. Bartolomeu Dias reached the Cape of Good Hope on 12 March 1488, opening the sea route to India, but European exploration of Africa itself remained limited in the 16th and 17th centuries. By the early 19th century, European knowledge of Africa's interior was still scarce, with much of the continent unexplored. Expeditions in the 1830s and 1840s gradually mapped Southern Africa, but the Congo Basin and African Great Lakes remained "blank spots" until the later 19th century. Explorers like John Hanning Speke, Richard Francis Burton, David Livingstone, and Henry Morton Stanley ventured into Africa’s heart, completing its geographical mapping by the 1870s. Subsequent expeditions in the 1880s, such as those by Oskar Lenz, further detailed the continent's geological features.

Obverse

Depicts the official emblem of the Laurent Kabila regime: a gilded snarling lion's head, representing strength and authority, set within a circle. The country’s name is inscribed in French. Above, the bank's legend is displayed, and below it is the date, flanked by three stars on each side.

Kabila’s regime, which began in 1997 after he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, was characterized by efforts to rebuild the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) after decades of dictatorship. His government sought to restore national sovereignty, but faced internal conflict and external pressures, particularly during the Second Congo War.

★ BANQUE CENTRALE ★
REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE
★ DU CONGO ★
★ 1999 ★

Reverse

Depicts a portrait of Henry Morton Stanley in front of a beautiful scene of the Congo River, trees on both banks with mountains and trees in the background surrounded by the title of the series above and his name below, denomination at right.

Sir Henry Morton Stanley (1841–1904) was a Welsh-American journalist, explorer, and soldier, best known for his exploration of Central Africa and his quest to find the missing missionary and explorer David Livingstone. His famous greeting, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" became iconic after he finally located Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika in 1871. Sponsored by the New York Herald, Stanley undertook multiple expeditions through uncharted African territories, mapping rivers and regions and famously navigating the Congo River to its mouth, which helped pave the way for King Leopold II of Belgium’s colonization of the Congo. Although Stanley’s work expanded European knowledge of African geography, his methods were often controversial, criticized for their harshness and impact on African populations. His explorations remain pivotal in the history of African exploration during the colonial era.

EXPLORERS OF AFRICA
10
FRANCS
SIR HENRY MORTON STANLEY

Edge

10 Francs

KM# 21 Schön# 83
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.925
Weight 25.3 g
Diameter 38 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal

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