Belgian Congo, Rwanda and Urundi 500 Francs 1959-Jul-01

BANQUE CENTRALE DU CONGO BELGE ET DU RUANDA-URUNDI CINQ CENT FRANCS PAYBLES A VUE 01.10.57 LE CONTREFACTEUR EST PUNI DE SERVITUDE PENALE

Printing predominantly purple-brown, pink, yellow and green. Texts in French. Frame composed of repeating guilloche shapes with the bank monogram “CCB” at the top left. The value “500 FRANCS” is printed in the lower right corner. On the upper border, the issuing institute “BANQUE CENTRALE DU CONGO BELGE ET DU RUANDA-URUNDI”, then the value “CINQ CENTS FRANCS”, the words “PAYABLE A VUE” and the signatures printed in black. Below, a view of the industrial port of Matadi with boats and a freight train at the dock. The series and banknote number are printed four times in black. On the left, a pink Congolese star inside a green rosette. At the bottom center, the date of issue printed in black, the article of the penal code printed on one line in the frame and the name of the printer.

CENTRALE BANK VAN BELGISCH-CONGO EN RUANDA-URUNDI DE NAMAKER WORDT MET STRAFDIENST GESTRAFT VIJF HONDERD FRANK BETAALBAAR OP ZICHT

Frame composed of geometric patterns and guilloche shapes with the value “500” printed on a Congolese star in the upper right corner. Texts in Dutch. On the right, the watermark and the value in Dutch printed on a red-orange Congolese star. In the center, a man in his canoe filled with local products sails along the edge of a river. The signatures on the front are transferred in black.