1960 (1970) GOLD CHAD 10,000 FRANCS NGC PROOF 68 ULTRA CAMEO "CHARLES DE GAULLE"

REPUBLIC OF CHAD

1970 ISSUE COMMEMORATING THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

THIS ISSUE ALSO HONORS FRENCH GENERAL AND PRESIDENT CHARLES de GAULLE, COMMEMORATING HIS DEATH IN 1970

GOLD TEN-THOUSAND FRANCS

CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 68 ULTRA CAMEO

OBV: NATIONAL ARMS AT TOP ABOVE THE DOUBLE-BARRED CROSS OF LORRAINE SURROUNDED BY STYLIZED CLOUDS AND RAYS WITH A BAND OF BROKEN CHAINS BENEATH; DENOMINATION AT BOTTOM.

REV: PORTRAIT BUST OF GENERAL CHARLES de GAULLE RIGHT; DATE OF INDEPENDENCE (1960) BELOW FLANKED BY 8 DOTS AROUND RIM; MINT PRIVY MARK ABOVE CHAINS ON RIGHT.

KM # 11

AFTER WWII CHAD WAS GRANTED THE STATUS OF AN OVERSEAS TERRITORY BY FRANCE, THE COUNTRY WAS ALLOWED TO ELECT REPRESENTATIVES TO THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, AND FORM ITS OWN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. FULL INDEPENDENCE WAS GRANTED ON AUGUST 11, 1960. ITS FIRST PRESIDENT, FRAÇOIS TOMBALBAYE CREATED A ONE PARTY SYSTEM AND ESTABLISHED AUTOCRATIC RULE. HIS INSENSITIVE MISMANAGEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT LED TO CIVIL WAR BY THE MUSLIM POPULATION. DURING THE COURSE OF HIS RULE, TOMBALBAYE ARRESTED MILITARY OFFICERS INCLUDING THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR SUSPICION OF STAGING A COUP. HIS UNDERMINING OF THE MILITARY, AND THEIR PERVASIVE OPINION OF HIS MISHANDLING OF THE CIVIL WAR, CULMINATED IN HIS DEATH DURING A BLOODY BATTLE DURING A COUP BY THE MILITARY IN 1975.

GENERAL CHARLES de GAULLE (b. 1890;  d.1970) WAS THE STAUNCH LEADER OF THE FREE FRENCH FORCES DURING WWII, AND ESTABLISHED THE FIFTH FRENCH REPUBLIC AFTER THE WAR, SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF FRANCE FROM 1959 TO 1969.

THE CROSS OF LORRAINE, SEEN ON THE REVERSE OF THIS COIN, WAS THE HERALDIC SYMBOL OF THE DUKES OF LORRAINE, A SYMBOL USED BY THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, SAINT JOAN OF ARC, AND WAS THE SYMBOL OF THE FREE FRENCH FORCES DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AS AN ANSWER TO THE GERMAN NAZI SWASTIKA.

CONTAINS 36 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (1.0416 OZS)

46 MM IN DIAMETER

ONLY 4,000 ORIGINALLY MINTED, VERY FEW SURVIVE TODAY!

ENGRAVER G. SIMON

MINTED AT NUMISMATIC ITALIANO, AREZZO, ITALY