French Equatorial Africa

➧

French Equatorial Africa was a region in Central Africa encompassing Congo Republic, Ubangi-Shari (now Central African Republic), Chad and Gabon. The countries in this region used common banknotes from 1910-1960. After 1960 the countries gained independence as autonomous members of the French Community.

Gouvernement Général de l’Afrique Equatoriale Française

1917 Emergency Issue

B101 (
  • P-1
) 50 Centimes
Green and Blue.
  • Printer: Chaix, Paris
  • ND (1917)
  • Thin paper
  • Sig 1 or 2
B102 (
  • P-2
) 1 Franc
Red and Blue.
  • Printer: Chaix, Paris
  • ND (1917)
  • Sig 1 or 2
B103 (
  • P-3
) 2 Francs
Blue and Yellow.
  • Printer: Chaix, Paris
  • ND (1917)
  • Sig 1 or 2

1940 Emergency Issue

B104a (
  • P-4
) 1000 Francs Man with paddle
Light Green. Text and grid
  • ND (1917)
  • Paper
  • Sig 4

  • Counterfoil
B105a (
  • P-4A
) 1000 Francs African Man
Text and grid
  • ND (1917)
  • Paper
  • Sig unk

  • Counterfoil
B106a (
  • P-5
) 1000 Francs African Woman
Red. Text and grid
  • ND (1940)
  • Paper
  • Sig 4

  • Counterfoil

Afrique Française Libre

Under the leadership of Félix Éboué, governor of the French colony of Chad, the region realigned from Vichy (Petain) to Free France (de Gaulle) in 1940.

B201a face
B201a face
B201a (
  • LK504a
  • P-6a
) 5 Francs African Woman with Coffee Plants
Weaving Cloth
  • Printer: BWC
  • ND (1941)
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Woman in profile


  • Deloche FEC
    • (B)
B202a (
  • LK505a
  • P-7
) 25 Francs Touareg Horseman, Lion
  • Printer: BWC
  • 4/15/1942
  • Sig 1


B203a (
  • LK506a
  • P-8
) 100 Francs Two Native Women
  • Printer: BWC
  • 7/31/1942
  • Sig 1

B204a (
  • LK507a
  • P-9
) 1000 Francs Native Woman and Baby, Allegorical France
  • Printer: BWC
  • 7/31/1942
  • Sig 1

Caisse Centrale de la France Libre

In 1941 the Comité National Français established the Caisse Centrale de la France Libre (Central Bank of Free France) as the central bank of Charles de Gaulle’s Free France. It was given note-issuing privileges for the colonies and overseas territories which were under the control of Free France.

B301a (
  • LK508a
  • P-10a
) 5 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Pink.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 12/2/1941
  • Sig 1

B302a (
  • LK509a
  • P-11a
) 10 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Purple.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 12/2/1941
  • Sig 1

B303a (
  • LK510a
  • P-12a
) 20 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Green.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 12/2/1941
  • Sig 1

B304a (
  • LK511a
  • P-13a
) 100 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Green and Yellow.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 12/2/1941
  • Sig 1

B305a (
  • LK512a
  • P-14a
) 1000 Francs Phoenix
Blue, Green and Purple.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 12/2/1941
  • Sig 1

Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer

From 1941 to 1958, the Caisse Centrale was responsible for issuing banknotes to French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa, Cameroun, Madagascar, the French Overseas Departments (DOM) and Saint Pierre-et-Miquelon. In 1945 it introduced the Franc CFA (Colonies Françaises d’Afrique) for use in the Equatorial African States. In 1959, the banking functions were transferred to the Institut d'Émission des Départements d'Outre-Mer and the Caisse Centrale has transitioned to be an economic development organization for the regions.

B401b face
B401b face
B401b (
  • LK519
  • P-15b
) 5 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Pink.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 2/2/1944

  • Watermark: none

B402 (
  • P-16
) 10 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Purple.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 2/2/1944

B403 (
  • LK525
  • P-17
) 20 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Green, Blue.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 2/2/1944

B404a (
  • LK529a
  • P-18
) 100 Francs Marianne de Dulac
Green, Yellow.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 2/2/1944
  • Sig 2

B405 (
  • LK530
  • P-19
) 1000 Francs Phoenix
Blue, Green, Purple.
  • Printer: BWC
  • 2/2/1944
  • Sig 2

1947-52 Issues

The country name is not specified on these notes; the 10F-50F are only distinguished from St. Pierre et Miquelon by serial number range

B406a face
B406a face
B406a (
  • LK531b
  • P-20B
) 5 Francs Bougainville
Louis-Antoine Bougainville; Museum of Joséphine de Beauharnais
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1947)
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Anchor and Boat


  • Chapon, A. SC
    • (B)
B407a face
B407a face
B407a (
  • LK532b
  • P-21
) 10 Francs Jean-Baptiste Colbert
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1950-60)
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Anchor and Boat


  • Chapon, A. SC
    • (B)
B408a (
  • LK533b
  • P-22
) 20 Francs Émile Gentil
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1950-60)
  • Sig 3


  • Tison, M. SC
    • (B)
B409a (
  • LK534b
  • P-23
) 50 Francs Pierre Bélain, Sieur d'Esnambuc
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1950-60)
  • Sig 3


  • Régnier, G. SC
    • (B)
B410a (
  • LK535b
  • P-24
) 100 Francs La Bourdonnais
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1963)


  • Régnier, G. SC
    • (B)
B411a (
  • LK536b
  • P-25
) 500 Francs Pointe-à-Pitre
Martinique and Guadeloupe Women; Transporting Sugar Cane by Ox
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1971)
  • Sig 2


B412a (
  • LK537b
  • P-26
) 1000 Francs Union Française
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1971)
  • Sig 2


B413a (
  • LK538b
  • P-27
) 5000 Francs Victor Schoelcher
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1971)
  • Sig 2


Institut d'Émission de l'Afrique Équatoriale Française et du Cameroun

In 1955, the Institut d'Émission de l'Afrique Équatoriale Française et du Cameroun was split off from the Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer as the financial authority for French Equatorial Africa.

B501a face
B501a face
B501a (
  • LK539b
  • P-28
) 5 Francs Bougainville
Louis-Antoine Bougainville; Museum of Joséphine de Beauharnais
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1957)
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Anchor and Boat


  • Chapon, A. SC
    • (B)
B502a (
  • LK540b
  • P-29
) 10 Francs Jean-Baptiste Colbert
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1950-60)
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Anchor and Boat


  • Chapon, A. SC
    • (B)
B503a face
B503a face
B503a (
  • LK541b
  • P-30
) 20 Francs Émile Gentil
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1950-60)
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Anchor and Boat


  • Tison, M. SC
    • (B)
B504a face
B504a face
B504a (
  • LK542b
  • P-31
) 50 Francs Coffee Farming in Cameroon
Logging in Gabon
  • Printer: Banque de l'Algérie
  • ND (1957)
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

  • Baudier SC
    • (B)
B505a face
B505a face
B505a (
  • LK543b
  • P-32
) 100 Francs Gouv-Gen. Félix Éboué
Ethnic Bamileke at Dock of Douala
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1957)
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Woman in profile


B506as face
B506as (
  • P-33s
) 500 Francs Woman and Huts
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1957)
  • Sig 1
  • Specimen

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

  • Poilliot, G. SC
    • (B)
B507a (
  • LK545b
  • P-34
) 1000 Francs Cameroonian Woman and Cocoa Pods, Man Picking Cotton
  • Printer: Banque de l'Algérie
  • ND (1957)
  • Sig 1

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