Description
The Djibouti franc has been the official currency in Djibouti since 1908. In 1884, when the country was still part of French Somaliland (formerly Djibouti), the French franc was a bargaining chip alongside the Indian rupee and the Thaler Maria Theresa. However, since 1908, the franc circulating in Djibouti fixed its value to the French franc. Between 1920 and 1965, the Chamber of Commerce announced coins in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and centimes and 1, 10, 20, 50 and 100 francs, followed by the 500 francs coin in 1989. The last coin issued to complete the country coins denomination was the 250 francs in 2013.
The 5 Djiboutian francs coin front design features the National Coat of Arms (It is bordered with laurel branches, consist of a vertical spear, a shield, two hands which carry a machete and a spear with a red star above) and the issue date. The reverse coin design illustrates a Nile lechwe head with a feather-top design, and two catfish caught on each side, a motto: “Unite-Egalite-Peace” (Unity-Equality-Peace), and the denomination divides by the animal head. This coin is part of the 1977 – 1999 series, its rim is plain, and its color is silver.
Text: Republique De Djibouti, Unite, Egalite, Paix, 5F, 1977.