Western African States Banknotes Catalog

The history of banknotes in West Africa is fascinating and reflects the political and economic changes in the region. From colonial times to the present day, these countries have undergone various transformations in their monetary systems, which is reflected in the evolution of their banknotes.

Current banknotes in circulation

Currently, most West African countries use the CFA Franc, a common currency issued by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). Banknotes in circulation include denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 CFA Francs. These modern banknotes feature advanced security features and designs that reflect the culture and biodiversity of the region, such as images of local wildlife and traditional African motifs.

Old banknotes and milestones in note-keeping

Prior to the adoption of the CFA Franc, many West African countries had their own national currencies. For example, Ghana used the cedi, Nigeria the naira, and Sierra Leone the leone. An important milestone in the notafilia of the region was the introduction of the CFA Franc in 1945, initially as the "Franc des Colonies Francs des Colonies Francaises d'Afrique". Following the independence of many countries in the 1960s, the meaning of CFA changed to "African Financial Community", reflecting the new era of political autonomy and regional economic cooperation.

If you are a collector, you can create your own collection and add your Western African States banknotes, generate your own free pdf catalog from your control panel thanks to our complete database and use all our banknote management tools. In addition, once entered you can start exchanges with collectors from all over the world easily and for free. There are no limits at Foronum!

📢 Western African States is a country that does not exist.