The African nation of Benin issued a series of coins in 2011 commemorating Famous Plants of the World. This unusual coin was minted in the shape of the Cannabis leaf and is also scented accordingly.
The earliest recorded use of cannabis date from the 3rd millennium BC. Varieties of Cannabis plants have been used extensively to produce among other things, hemp seed foods, oil, rope, cloth and fuel.
Other varieties that contain a higher level of the psychoactive chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are widely used as a recreational drug commonly known as marijuana. This chemical is what causes the ‘high’ associated with its use.
The coin specifications are as follows:
Year: 2011
Denomination: 100 Francs
Composition: Copper-Nickel, silver plated
Weight: 17 grams
Mintage: 2,500 pieces
(With the low mintage, would owning five of these coins be considered having a marijuana grow-op? Perhaps this coin should have been issued by British Columbia.)
Thanks to the Wikipedia articles on Cannabis and Hemp.
~ Mike Souza
