CONGO,
    Very complicated.  Two countries called "Congo."  The big one, now "Congo Democratic Republic," was a very powerful kingdom in the 15th-16th centuries.  The Portuguese had to deal with them as equals, with embassies and all.  The Congo king converted to Catholicism and several thousand churches were built.  The Portuguese then commenced about 250 years of war and predation that finally destroyed the Congo kingdom.  Belgian king Leopold picked up the pieces and turned the whole country into a slave labor camp.  Estimates are that 10 million people were killed keeping the country quiet.  They did no infrastructure development at all.  Since independence it has been mostly bad luck.  Still is.  Country is like Brasil in mid-19th century.  Could be a major power some day if it gets control of itself.
    Other Congo I will write about when I get some coins to sell.

274-430. CONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, proof set, K-nl set consisting of 4x silver 10 francs K33-36, 2000 chimpanees, 4x silver triangular coins, cased, $140.00 sold
Click picture for enlargement.
 
 









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