View source for Zaire 1975 2-1/2 zaires

[[Image:Zaire H3082-34862a.jpg|300px|thumb|Heritage sale 3082, part of lot 34862]]
[[Image:Zaire H3082-34862b.jpg|300px|thumb|photo courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries]]

The area of the [[Congo Democratic Republic|Democratic Republic of Congo]] (DRC) was originally a Belgian colony called the Congo Free State. The territory gained independence in 1960, changed its name to Zaire in 1971, and changed names again to the DRC in 1997 after a civil war and assassination of president-for-life Mobutu Sese Seko. Included in the set were the gold hundred zaires and silver 2½ and five zaires and copper-nickel fifty makuta. A copper-nickel ten makuta was also issued for the masses. This specimen was part of lot 34862 in Heritage sale 3082 (New York, January 2020), which sold for $2,040. The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, "Republic 3-Piece gold & silver "Conservation" Proof Set 1975, 1) silver "Mountain Gorilla" 2-1/2 Zaires - Proof; 2) silver "Okapi" 5 Zaires - Proof, KM 10; 3) gold "Leopard" 100 Zaires - PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC. Mintage: 500 sets. A very low mintage set, with the 100 Zaires having a Proof mintage of only 279 pieces."

''Recorded mintage:'' 5,735 + 6,629 proofs.

''Specification:'' 28.28 g, 0.925 fine silver. 

''Catalog reference:'' KM 9, KM-PS2 (set). 

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed.,'' Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019. 
* <sup>[1]</sup>Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, ''Heritage World and Ancient Coins Online Auction 3082, featuring the Caranett Collection,'' Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019. 

''Link to:''
* [[Congo 1970 zaire|1970 zaire]]
* [[Zaire 1975 5 zaires|1975 5 zaires, okapi]]
* [[Zaire 1975 100 zaires|1975 100 zaires, leopard]]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1975]]

[[Category:Selections from Heritage sale 3081]][[Category: Silver crowns of Africa]]