Product Owner: BANQUE DES ETATS DE L’AFRIQUE CENTRALE / BANK OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES
Banknote Denomination/s and Date of Issue
The 5 denominations of the new series “2020 Type” – the same as the previous one, that is to say 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 Francs CFA – have been issued in the 6 countries of the BEAC (Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Central African Republic, Gabon and Chad), on December 15, 2022.
The designs of the banknotes were unveiled by the end of November 2022 during the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Central Bank.
Since mid of 2010’s, the BEAC has been working on various studies concerning the evolution of counterfeiting as well evaluating the latest security features available on the market, in order to take this data into account to strengthen the level of security of its future series.
This new banknotes series is more compact with smaller banknotes adapted to current trend, featuring designs that are more modern and with a higher level of security (see below).
Three families of banknotes compose the “2020 Type” series with three different types of substrates and three different levels of security to be perfectly adapted to their specific use.
See the BEAC’s website www.beac.int.
Project Description
Since 2003, the BEAC had not issued any new banknote or series. Therefore, the BEAC was pursuing a triple goal through its new series (i) to give a more modern image of the Institution, with an evolution of style and architecture towards more modernity, (ii) to give more confidence to the general public, with a drastic improvement of the level of security of its banknotes and (iii) to improve the lifespan of its banknotes in circulation.
Instead of two families (High (5,000 and 10,000 Francs) and Low (500, 1,000, 2,000 Francs)) the new series is composed of three families: High (5,000 and 10,000 Francs), Medium (2,000 Francs) and Low (500, 1,000 Francs), with corresponding levels of security and resistance in circulation.
The new series reflects the sub-regional integration as well as the economic and social emergence of the six state members.
For the very first time in its history, the four official languages of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) – French, Arabic, English and Spanish) are declined in the inscription “Bank of Central African States” and the face value of the banknotes.
Finally, the Front Side is common to all denominations, whereas there are different themes for the Back Sides:
- 500 Francs CFA: Modern agriculture
- 1,000 Francs CFA: Health
- 2,000 Francs CFA: Environmental protection: flora
- 5,000 Francs CFA: Environmental protection: fauna
- 10,000 Francs CFA: Education
Innovation and Uniqueness of Security Features
The two lowest denominations facing the most challenging conditions of circulation benefit from the EverFit® technology in order to dramatically improve their lifespan.
The medium denomination is printed on a specific long lasting coated paper LongerFit® and equipped with a copper/OVI DualTrack® 3 mm width thread, rainbow under UV light.
The two highest denominations are equipped with a 4 mm width Rapid® thread featuring the face value and a head of eland associated with a dynamic background effect.
On the Front side of the medium and high denominations a stylised representation of a local flower is printed with OVI or SparkLive® ink with truspin effect, as well as an invisible patch of Twin UV ® ink.
Finally, the whole series integrates counterfeit deterrence systems and Sealgn@ture, a security feature that enables the authentication of a banknote through a specific application working with scanners or smartphones equipped with a magnifying optic.
Integration of historical or local content that is relevant to the country
concerned
This new series has to remain faithful to the representation of the culture of central Africa and the architecture implemented has to be adapted to the image of modernity of the BEAC.
The common Front Side featuring the building of the Central Bank’s headquarters in Yaoundé (Cameroon) as well as the logo of the BEAC as watermark (three heads of elands) and the logo of the CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) symbolizes the sub-regional integration as well as the economic and social emergence of the six state members.
On the Back Side all the themes are different, depicting major axes of development in central Africa for the current and future generations, conveying a strong message for the general public. Finally, the following themes have been selected:
- Modern agriculture
- Health
- Environmental protection: flora
- Environmental protection: fauna
- Education
Effectiveness of the integration of security features into the banknote
The level of security of the banknotes is progressive with the face value and in line with the risk of counterfeit of each family of denominations.
To this end, very effective and well-known security features have been used to protect them like multitone and electrotype watermarks or a see-through featuring the face value, but also the latest technologies with windowed threads using color change or micro lenticular technologies and OVMI SparkLive®, in order to help the public to easily authenticate the banknotes.
Finally, these banknotes also integrate some security features visible under UV light:
- on the Front Side with a patch featuring the logo of the CEMAC, printed in Twin UV® ink on the medium and high denominations,
- in the substrate with rainbow security threads on low and medium denominations,
- on the Back Side with a visible fluorescent ink integrated in the rainbow effect of the background.
Aesthetic appeal and overall design of the banknote or banknote series
The size of the banknotes is progressive with the face value and each of them has a dominant color to ease its identification by the public. Moreover, a specific tactile feature has been implemented for visually impaired people.
The architecture of the series looks coherent and appealing with the use of bright colors reflecting the cheerfulness of the central African culture and its people.
The common Front Side featuring the building of the Central Bank’s headquarters together with the watermark and the logo of the CEMAC is institutional and symbolic, underlining the sub-regional integration as well as the economic emergence of the six state members.
The themes illustrating the Back Sides fit perfectly with the overall design and convey strong messages to the public, depicting major axes of development in central Africa for the current and future generations.
Finally, the integration of all the security features allies aesthetic and effectiveness.
