EKUELE: COIN OF EQUATORIAL GUINEA
10 ekuele, 1975: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
It is interesting that as many as 4 countries in the world contain the word "Guinea" in their name: Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Papua New Guinea and simply Guinea.
10 EKUELE.
Heraldic shield with a cock as the main element of the coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea from 1972-1979 (rule of Francisco Macías Nguema — one of the most odious dictators in modern world history).
REPUBLICA DE GUINEA ECUATORIAL: Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
Francisco Macías Nguema — the first president of Equatorial Guinea, who led the country to a complete economic and political collapse and was removed from power in a military coup.
Royal Mint (United Kingdom).
Mintage: 1.300.000.
In the late 1970s, Macias Nguema began to show clear signs of dementia, for example: in the bamboo thickets near his home, he kept the entire currency reserve of Equatorial Guinea. Gradually, he became dangerous: as a result, the military broke into the dictator’s house, but he somehow managed to escape with two suitcases of currency (while he burned the rest of the country’s currency reserves). Soon, however, he was arrested. Macias Nguema was charged with 80 thousand murders; he was found guilty of 500 murders and sentenced to death.
It is not known how it actually happened, but on the specific coin presented here, the portrait of the dictator was crossed out (visible mechanical handmade damage to the obverse of the coin). As a version: this is the result of showing hatred for the former president.
- Copper-nickel: 24 mm - 5.26 g
- Reference price: 5$
COIN EKUELE — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- REPUBLIC OF EQUATORIAL GUINEA (1975-1979): ekuele = 100 céntimos
EKUELE as coin name.
Ekuele — currency and coin of Equatorial Guinea during 1975-1985, which replaced the local peseta and was replaced by the African franc (CFA franc).
Formally, the ekuele was divided into 100 céntimos, but no changeable coins were minted during this period.
Until 1979, during the reign of the first president of Equatorial Guinea and the odious dictator Francisco Nguema (Masié Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong), the name of the currency in the singular and plural was indicated on the coins as "Ekuele", while from 1980 — "Ekwele" for singular, but for higher denominations — "Bipkwele".
From a formal point of view, I consider the coin names ekuele and ekwele to be different, although they are as closely related as possible (the same currency).
The first circulation coins of this denomination are dated 1975 – 1, 5 and 10 ekuele. In addition, about ten types of jubilee/commemorative ekuele dedicated to the XXII Summer Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup were produced from silver and gold (non-circulating coin)...
The name of the ekuele coin comes from "ekpele" — accounting unit for the ancient iron money (in the form of hoes, spear heads or axes) of the Fang peoples (Bantu ethnic group found in Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon and representing about 85% of the total population of Equatorial Guinea).
