France - Old Francs

This series of notes, printed between 1933 and 1958, is the most beautiful printed by the Banque de France. They include wonderful notes with allegorical figures, rural French scenes and important figures of science, industry and politics. Clément Serveau is the most famous and prolific artist and best represents this period.

Banque de France

Formed by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800, the Banque de France was been France's central bank for more than two centuries. It provides monetary strategy, financial steadiness and client services, including printing and distributing banknotes, along with supporting regional banks across France and her territories. Since 1999, Bank of France has been a member of the Eurosystem of central banks for members of the European Union.

B943g face
B943g face
B943g (
  • F.14.37
  • P-64g
) 50 Francs Blue and Rose
Allegories of Industry and Agriculture
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/12/1924
  • 178 x 123mm

  • Watermark: Woman's Head
(F)
B945l face
B945l face
B945l (
  • F.30.34
  • P-66l
) 500 Francs Bleu et Rose
Hercules and Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/29/1931
  • 242 x 140mm
  • Sig 9
  • Same design as 500F Rose et Bleu type of 1842

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: 500F/Cinq cents Fr/BANQUE DE FRANCE
(F)
(B)
B950a face
B950a face
B950a (
  • F.2.29
  • P-70
) 5 Francs Blue
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/2/1915
  • 125 x 80mm
  • Sig 2
  • Astrological sign "Leo" for July

  • Watermark: Woman's head in profile, 'Banque de France' text from back of note
(F)
(B)
B951g face
B951g face
B951g (
  • F.24.16
  • P-78c
) 100 Francs Luc Olivier Merson
Allegories of Women and Children; Labor and Fortune
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/25/1937
  • 182 x 112mm
  • Sig 7
  • 5-Digit series number in larger Cartouche

  • Watermark: Ceres and Mercury in profile

(F)
(B)
B951h face
B951h face
B951h (
  • F.25.28
  • P-86b
) 100 Francs Luc Olivier Merson
  • 8/11/1938
  • Sig 4


B952d face
B952d face
B952d (
  • F.3.12
  • P-72d
) 5 Francs Violet
Rose, Purple. Allegory of France; Dock worker carrying a sack up a ladder
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/8/1928
  • 125 x 80mm
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Soldier from the Marseillaise de Rude

(F)
(B)
B952f face
B952f face
B952f (
  • F.4.15
  • P-83
) 5 Francs Violet
  • 11/28/1940
  • Sig 4


B953d face
B953d face
B953d (
  • F.6.11
  • P-73d
) 10 Francs Minerva
Blue. Effigy of the goddess Minerva; Peasant woman resting
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/23/1926
  • 138 x 88mm
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Mercury
(F)
B953f face
B953f face
B953f (
  • F.7.1
  • P-84
) 10 Francs Minerva
  • 2/2/1939
  • Sig 4


B954a face
B954a face
B954a (
  • F.11.01
  • P-74
) 20 Francs Bayard
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/22/1916
  • 160 x 95mm
  • Denomination in Blue

  • Watermark: Bayard
(F)
B956a face
B956a face
B956a (
  • F.43.1
  • P-76
) 5000 Francs Flameng
Allegories symbolizing the strength of the Banque de France, Research, Labor and Fortune
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/26/1918
  • 256 x 128mm
  • Sig 13

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: Head of woman in profile (3 times)
(F)
B957a face
B957a face
B957a (
  • F.15.2
  • P-77a
) 50 Francs Luc-Olivier Merson
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/2/1928
  • 170 x 123mm
  • Luc-Olivier Merson name in margin

  • Watermark: Busts of two women
(F)
B957b face
B957b face
B957b (
  • F.16.2
  • P-80a
) 50 Francs Luc-Olivier Merson
  • 8/13/1931
  • Sig 4


B958f face
B958f face
B958f (
  • F.38.46
  • P-90c
) 1000 Francs Ceres and Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/18/1940
  • 235 x 130mm
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Profiles of Ceres and Mercury

(F)
B961c face
B961c face
B961c (
  • F.18.38
  • P-85b
) 50 Francs Cérès
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/8/1940
  • 155 x 90mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Bust of Greek Divinity

(F)
B964c face
B964c face
B964c (
  • F.46.8
  • P-97c
) 5000 Francs Victoire
Woman wearing olive wreath holding statue of winged Victory
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/20/1939
  • 230 x 125mm
  • First French note printed with Intaglio (face & back vignette) over Relief
  • Sig 12
  • Signature title "LE CAISSIER PRINCIPAL"

  • Watermark: Head of woman and branch

(F)
(B)
B965a face
B965a face
B965a (
  • F.29.1
  • P-87a
) 300 Francs Ceres and Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/6/1938
  • 138 x 88mm
  • Sig 4
  • This is the only BdF note with no printed date

  • Watermark: Profile of Mercury
(F)
B968a face
B968a face
B968a (
  • F.12.12
  • P-92b
) 20 Francs Science and Labor
Allegories of Science and Labor; Chemist looking through microscope
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/20/1941
  • 160 x 97mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Bust of woman in front of flag
(F)
B969a face
B969a face
B969a (
  • F.19.18
  • P-93
) 50 Francs Jacques Coeur
Jacques Coeur; Woman of Berry at the Palais de Bourges
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/8/1942
  • 145 x 90mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Berrichone wearing a hat
(F)
B970a face
B970a face
B970a (
  • F.26.69
  • P-94
) 100 Francs Sully
La France, Maurice de Sully; Sully-sur-Loire Castle
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/2/1942
  • 178 x 90mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Ceres and Mercury in profile
(F)
B971b face
B971b face
B971b (
  • F.32.41
  • P-95b
) 500 Francs Peace
Allegory of Peace with olive branch, Agriculture
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/1/1942
  • 195 x 115mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: Profile of woman
(F)
(B)
B972a face
B972a face
B972a (
  • F.39.3
  • P-96a
) 1000 Francs Commerce and Industry
Allegories of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/19/1940
  • 195 x 118mm
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Woman with crown of flowers
(F)
(B)
B973b face
B973b face
B973b (
  • F.5.7
  • P-98b
) 5 Francs Shepherd
Pyrenean shepherd and woman of Agenais
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/30/1947
  • 100 x 65mm
  • Sig 5
  • This is the smallest banknote issued by Banque de France

  • Watermark: Bust of Bernard Palissy
(F)
B974b face
B974b face
B974b (
  • F.8.19
  • P-99f
) 10 Francs Miner
Miner; Peasant woman and child
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/4/1947
  • 118 x 75mm
  • Sig 5

  • Watermark: Joan of Arc
(F)
B975b face
B975b face
B975b (
  • F.13.14
  • P-100c
) 20 Francs Fisherman
Fisherman and view of the Port de Concarneau; Women and child of Brittany
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/10/1949
  • 130 x 80mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Anne de Bretagne
(F)
B976a face
B976a face
B976a (
  • F.27.4
  • P-101a
) 100 Francs Descartes
René Descartes; Bronze Winged Victory
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/6/1944
  • 160 x 92mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Head in profile
(F)
B978a face
B978a face
B978a (
  • F.40.6
  • P-102
) 1000 Francs Demeter
Statue of Demeter holding Hercules as a child; Bronze of Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/3/1942
  • 190 x 115mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: Hermes
(F)
(B)
B979a face
B979a face
B979a (
  • F.47.59
  • P-103e
) 5000 Francs Empire Française
France with natives of the French community, Ports of the Basque coast, France and Rabat, Morocco
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/20/1947
  • 208 x 115mm
  • Sig 15

  • Watermark: Profiles of French, African and Asian women
(F)
(B)
B981c face
B981c face
B981c (
  • F.20.17
  • P-127c
) 50 Francs Le Verrier
Astronomer Urbain Le Verrier; Neptune
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/1/1951
  • 120 x 78mm
  • Sig 6

  • Watermark: Head of Neptune
(F)
B982d face
B982d face
B982d (
  • F.28.37
  • P-128d
) 100 Francs Young Farmer with Oxen
Young farmer with oxen; Boating family
  • Printer: BdF
  • 6/4/1953
  • 130 x 85mm
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Bust of young man
(F)
B983a face
B983a face
B983a (
  • F.34.5
  • P-129a
) 500 Francs Chateaubriand
Author François-René Chateaubriand with muses; Titles of many of his books on face and back
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/28/1946
  • 141 x 92mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: Profile of a woman
(F)
B984a face
B984a face
B984a (
  • F.41.13
  • P-130a
) 1000 Francs Blue Clément Serveau
Allegories of the Goddess Minerva and Hercules
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/25/1946
  • 172 x 95mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: French warrior, Venus
(F)
B987d face
B987d face
B987d (
  • F.50.77
  • P-132d
) 10,000 Francs Education
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1955
  • 221 x 120mm
  • Sig 11

  • Watermark: Allegorical Bust
(F)
(B)
B988a face
B988a face
B988a (
  • F.35.3
  • P-133a
) 500 Francs Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo and the Pantheon where he is buried; Place des Vosges
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/2/1954
  • 140 x 75mm
  • Sig 11
  • New series of smaller notes from BdF

  • Watermark: Bust of Victor Hugo
(F)
B989a face
B989a face
B989a (
  • F.42.22
  • P-134a
) 1000 Francs Richelieu
Richelieu at the Palais Royal
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/4/1956
  • 150 x 80mm
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Richelieu
(F)
B992b face
B992b face
B992b (
  • F.51.13
  • P-136b
) 10,000 Francs Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte, Arc de Triomphe; Les Invalides
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/2/1958
  • 172 x 92mm
  • Sig 14

  • Watermark: Bonaparte
(F)
(B)

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