The obverse of all coins of French Somaliland features the head of Marianne, personification of the French Republic, flanked by four freighters in a harbor viewed from their bows, three near the rim at 7 o’clock, one at 5 o’clock. This is the standard obverse design used for issues of many French overseas territories.

The reverse of all 10- and 20-franc coins depicts a traditional dhow with a lateen sail against the background of a modern ocean liner docked in Djibouti harbor; a stevedore crane is loading the liner.