10 francs 1958

Common. This note was part of a regular issue spanning 1955-1959 with substantial print runs for circulation throughout Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi. Market data from realbanknotes.com shows consistent availability with numerous sales across multiple condition grades ranging from $5 to $166, with UNC examples cataloged at $35 as of 2016. The extensive eBay sales history (30+ recorded transactions over a decade) confirms ready availability in the market. While UNC examples command higher prices than circulated notes, the denomination and period ensure this remains a readily obtainable collector item without scarcity premium.

This note was issued during the final years of Belgian colonial rule in the Congo, as the Banque Centrale du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi prepared for independence in 1960. The imagery—featuring both a representation of colonial administrative authority (the man in fez, possibly a Force Publique soldier or administrator) and the iconic African wildlife (giraffe in natural landscape)—reflects the colonial-era romanticization of African subjects and resources. The bilingual inscriptions (French and Dutch) mirror the linguistic divide of Belgian colonial administration, while the August 1, 1958 date places this issue at a critical moment in the decolonization process.

The obverse presents a formal portrait of an administrator or soldier of the Force Publique wearing a traditional fez hat, shown in left-facing profile from shoulders up, rendered in classic black line engraving. The composition includes tropical vegetation—specifically palm trees—in the background on the right side, establishing the colonial African context. Decorative elements include ornamental square frames bearing the denomination '10' in each corner and an elaborate star symbol with decorative rays positioned on the right side. The reverse features a landscape vignette centered on a giraffe standing in a natural savanna setting with scattered trees and grassland, enclosed within a large ornamental circular medallion with radiating decorative rays and a central star. Both sides employ identical corner denomination frames and sophisticated border patterns with geometric and floral motifs, typical of early-to-mid 20th century European security banknote design.

FRONT SIDE (French): 'Banque Centrale du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi' (Central Bank of Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi); 'Dix Francs' (Ten Francs); 'Payables à Vue' (Payable on Demand); 'Un Directeur' (A Director); 'Le Gouverneur' (The Governor); 'Le Contrefacteur est puni de Servitude Pénale' (Counterfeiting is punished with penal servitude); 'Waterlow & Sons Limited, Londres' (Waterlow & Sons Limited, London); Date: 01·08·58 (August 1, 1958). BACK SIDE (Dutch): 'Centrale Bank van Belgisch-Congo en Ruanda-Urundi' (Central Bank of Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi); 'Tien Frank' (Ten Francs); 'Betaalbaar op Zicht' (Payable on Demand); 'Een Directeur' (A Director); 'De Gouverneur' (The Governor); 'De Naamaker wordt met Strafdienst Gestraft' (The counterfeiter is punished with penal servitude); 'Waterlow & Sons Limited, Londres' (Waterlow & Sons Limited, London).

Steel plate engraving (intaglio printing) executed by Waterlow & Sons Limited of London, one of the world's premier security printers. The visual characteristics confirm this method: intricate parallel hatching patterns in background areas, fine detailed landscape work on the reverse giraffe vignette, sharp crisp lines throughout, and the deeply recessed ornamental borders and frames. The note demonstrates the full technical capabilities of high-security engraving with anti-counterfeiting safeguards including fine line work, geometric pattern complexity, and portrait rendering quality characteristic of Waterlow's production standards for colonial African currency.

This note is cataloged as Pick-30b (printer variant W&S), with Pick-30a representing an alternate printer variant of the same 10 francs 1958-1959 issue. The observed example shows the standard signature titles 'UN DIRECTEUR' and 'LE GOUVERNEUR' on the obverse with corresponding Dutch equivalents on reverse. Serial number format appears as letter prefix followed by numerals (BD507955 shown), consistent with the Pick catalog notation indicating serial number prefix as letter or fraction format. The specific date 01·08·58 (August 1, 1958) falls within the documented issue range and represents a common printing for this series.