Currency of France
John Law notes
This specimen was lot 3120 in Sincona sale 66 (Zurich, October 2020), where it sold for 15,000 CHF (about US$19,748 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BANKNOTEN | Frankreich Königreich (bis zur Revolution 1792) | misc, Billets de Monoye. 1800 Livres 1707, 14. Mai. Billet de Monoye Renouvellé et Visé en execution de la Declaration du 24. Mai 1707. Pick A1a. Von grosser Seltenheit/De grande rareté. III+. Kl. Risschen in den Falten. (kingdom of France, 1800 livres note of 1707. Of high rarity, Good very fine, Folds with very small tears.)"
assignat
The first note was issued by the French Republic some time in 1793. Like most assignats, it is printed on one side only. Assignats were so-called because property confiscated from the Church and from émigrés was assigned to back the notes. This may have been plausible in 1790, when issue began, but by 1793, three years of wartime inflation had turned assignats into fiat money despised even by the politicians who forced its acceptance on a reluctant populace. Six livres = one écu, but this paper note was depreciated to less than a third of its value in bullion.
twenty francs
This specimen was lot 2005 in Jean Elsen sale 152 (Brussels, September 2022), where it sold for €100 (about US$121 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[3] noted,
"FRANCE, 20 francs, 22.8.1940. Pick 92a. Trou d'épingle. Légèrement corné. Très Beau à Superbe. (France, twenty francs of 1940. Pin hole, lightly folded, Very Fine - Extremely Fine.)"
1943 50 francs
This specimen was part of lot 4253 in Sincona sale 80 (Zurich, October 2022), where it sold for 80 CHF (about US$96 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[4] noted, "BANKNOTEN | Frankreich 3. Republik (1870-1940), Banque de France. 20 Francs 1943, 15. April. (2 Exemplare aus derselben Serie R.81). Pick 99. I / Uncirculated. (2)"
Two hundred francs
This specimen was lot 2009 in Jean Elsen sale 152 (Brussels, September 2022), where it sold for €140 (about US$169 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, 200 francs, 1981. Série A.001. Pick 155a. Annoté au crayon dans la marge. Neuf. (France, fifth republic, two hundred francs of 1981. New, with pencil note in the margin.)"
five hundred francs
This specimen was lot 3152 in Sincona sale 66 (Zurich, October 2020), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"BANKNOTEN | Frankreich 4. Republik (1947-1958) | misc, Banque de France. 500 Francs 1954, 7. Januar. Pick 133a. II+. Minimaler Falt beim Portrait. (fourth republic of France, Bank of France, five hundred francs note of 1954. Good extremely fine, Minimal fold in portrait.)"
This specimen was lot 2008 in Jean Elsen sale 152 (Brussels, September 2022), where it sold for €320 (about US$387 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, 500 nouveaux francs, 2.1.1964. Molière. Pick 145a. Rare Légèrement corné. Trous d'épingles. Très Beau à Superbe. (France, five hundred new francs of 1964, Moliere. Rare, lightly folded, pin holes, Very Fine - Extremely Fine.)"
one thousand francs
This specimen was lot 1947 in Jean Elsen sale 154 (Brussels, March 2023), where it sold for €140 (about US$181 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Banque de France, 1000 francs, 06.07.1944. Shafer & Bruce 96c. Certifié PCGS 64 PPQ. Neuf. (Bank of France, one thousand francs of 1944. New.)"
five thousand francs
The second specimen was lot 2482 in Ponterio sale 158 (New York, January 2011), where it sold for $632.50. The catalog description[2] noted, "FRANCE. Banque De France. 5,000 Francs, 6.3.1958. P-135a. An always popular higher denomination which shows with Henry IV at center. Original paper and light circulation. Extremely Fine." In 1959, the Nouveau Franc was introduced and this note would have been worth 50 Nouveaux Francs.
- [1]Jürg Richter, Auction 66, Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, featuring the Claude Stritt Collection, Zurich: Sincona AG, 2020.
- [2]Ponterio, Richard, and Kent Ponterio, Ponterio sale 158: The 2011 N.Y.I.N.C. Auction, Irvine: Bowers and Merena, 2010.
- [3]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 152: Collection Ferdy Willems, Celtic coins, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2022.
- [4]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 80, World Coins and Medals, SINCONA Bullion Auction, World Banknotes, Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2022.
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