French West Africa

➧

French West Africa was a federation of French colonial territories on the northwest coast of Africa. Formalized in 1895, this federation included Mauritania, Senegal, Dahomey, French Sudan, Ivory Coast, Upper Volta, Niger, French Guinea, and Togo. In 1960 all the countries save French Guinea became autonomous members of the French Community, and now use banknotes issued by the West African States monetary union.

Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale

Founded in 1903 in Dakar, Senegal to succeed the Banque du Senegal, the BAO was the central bank for French West Africa, which included the territories of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Dahomey (now Benin), French Guinea, French Sudan (now Mali), Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso). The BAO continued its to function until 1955, when it transitioned responsibility to the Institut d'Emission de l'A.O.F. et du Togo. In 1959, this function was then succeeded by the Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO).

1902-1924 Conakry Issue

B102C (
  • LK127C
) 25 Francs Grand-Bassam
Brown, Olive, Blue. Elephant head and trees; Arabic Text
  • 203 x 120mm
  • Sig 4
  • Cote d'Ivoire overprinted in script font on Guinea (Conakry) note
  • Desfontaines, H. DEL
  • Duval, G. FEC
  • Florian, E. SC
    • (F)

1892 (1919) Provisional Issue

B107D (
  • LK156
  • P-3
) 1000 Francs Minerva and other Allegorical Figures
  • Printer: BdF
  • Series 161-170


  • Rousseau, L. SC
    • (B)

1916-24 Issue

B101Df2 face
B101Df2 face
B101Df2 (
  • LK24
  • P-5Bc
) 5 Francs Dakar
Lion, Local Artwork; Arabic Text
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/17/1926
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: RF and caduceus
  • Desfontaines, H. DEL
  • Florian, E. SC
    • (F)
B102D (
  • LK54a
) 25 Francs Dakar
Brown, Olive, Blue. Elephant head and trees; Arabic Text
  • 203 x 120mm
  • Sig 4
  • Desfontaines, H. DEL
  • Duval, G. FEC
  • Florian, E. SC
    • (F)
B102Gf face
B102Gf face
B102Gf (
  • LK69
  • P-7Db
) 25 Francs Grand-Bassam
Brown, Olive, Blue. Elephant head and trees; Arabic Text
  • 7/12/1923
  • 203 x 120mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Lion in crescent moon
  • Desfontaines, H. DEL
  • Duval, G. FEC
  • Florian, E. SC
    • (F)
B103De face
B103De face
B103De (
  • LK85
  • P-9Bc
) 50 Francs Dakar
Blue, Yellow, Red. Elephant head and trees; Arabic Text
  • 3/14/1929
  • 203 x 120mm
  • Sig 5

  • Watermark: Lion in crescent moon
  • Desfontaines, H. DEL
  • Duval, G. FEC
  • Florian, E. SC
    • (F)
B104Dd face
B104Dd face
B104Dd (
  • LK108
  • P-11Bb
) 100 Francs Dakar
Red, Pink, Orange. Elephant head and trees; Arabic Text
  • 9/24/1926
  • 203 x 120mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Lion in crescent moon
  • Desfontaines, H. DEL
  • Duval, G. FEC
  • Florian, E. SC
    • (F)

1933-45 Issue

B108g face
B108g face
B108g (
  • LK162a
  • P-21
) 5 Francs African Woman with Coffee Plants
Weaving Cloth
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/10/1938
  • Sig 7
  • Denomination in Dark Blue

  • Watermark: Head of native man

B109 (
  • LK166
  • P-22
) 25 Francs Touareg Horseman, Lion
  • Printer: BWC
  • Denomination in blue


B110 (
  • LK170
  • P-23
) 100 Francs Two Native Women
  • Printer: BWC
  • 7/31/1942
  • Sig 1

B111 (
  • P-24
) 25 Francs Native Woman and Baby, Allegorical France
  • Printer: BWC
  • 7/31/1942
  • Sig 1

1941-43 Issue

B112c face
B112c face
B112c (
  • LK163a
  • P-25
) 5 Francs African Woman with Coffee Plants
Weaving Cloth
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/6/1942
  • Sig 7

  • Watermark: Head of native man

B113a face
B113a face
B113a (
  • LK164
  • P-26
) 5 Francs African Woman with Coffee Plants
Weaving Cloth
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/2/1943
  • Sig 7

  • Watermark: Head of native man

B114a face
B114a face
B114a (
  • LK168a
  • P-27
) 25 Francs Touareg Horseman
Lion
  • Printer: BWC
  • 1/9/1942
  • Sig 7

  • Watermark: Head of native woman


Afrique Occidentale Française

Local notes were authorized in 1944 to address a shortage of coinage

B201a face
B201a face
B201a (
  • LK389
  • P-33
) 50 Centimes Fortress
Orange.
  • ND (1944)
B202a face
B202a face
B202a (
  • LK390a
  • P-34a
) 1 Franc Fishing
Dk. Brown.
  • ND (1944)
  • White paper
B202b (
  • LK390b
  • P-34b
) 1 Franc Fishing
  • ND (1944)
  • Yellow paper
B203a (
  • LK391
  • P-35
) 2 Francs Palm Tree and Pirogue
Blue.
  • ND (1944)

Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale

Founded in 1903 in Dakar, Senegal to succeed the Banque du Senegal, the BAO was the central bank for French West Africa, which included the territories of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Dahomey (now Benin), French Guinea, French Sudan (now Mali), Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso). The BAO continued its to function until 1955, when it transitioned responsibility to the Institut d'Emission de l'A.O.F. et du Togo. In 1959, this function was then succeeded by the Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO).

B120j face
B120j face
B120j (
  • LK181j
  • P-36
) 5 Francs
Women with Pottery; Men Poling Boats
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/2/1951
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Head of bearded man

  • Chapon, A. SC
    • (B)
B121k face
B121k face
B121k (
  • LK184
  • P-37
) 10 Francs
Bow Hunting; Antelope
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/10/1953
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Head of native man

  • Tison, M. SC
    • (B)
B122k face
B122k face
B122k (
  • LK187
  • P-38
) 25 Francs
African Woman; Man with Zebu
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/19/1952
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Woman's head

  • Régnier, G. SC
    • (B)
B123a face
B123a face
B123a (
  • LK189
  • P-39
) 50 Francs Marketplace
Man with Bananas
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/27/1944
  • Sig 7

  • Watermark: Man's head


  • Tison, M. SC
    • (B)
B124m face
B124m face
B124m (
  • LK195
  • P-40
) 100 Francs
Woman with Fruit Bowl; Family
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/8/1951
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Young woman's head

B125i face
B125i face
B125i (
  • LK198
  • P-41
) 500 Francs
Woman with French Flag; Colonial Soldiers
  • Printer: BdF
  • 11/21/1953
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Marianne

B126g face
B126g face
B126g (
  • LK201
  • P-42
) 1000 Francs Woman and Jugs, Gazelles
Woman in Native Costume of Upper-Guinea
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/18/1950
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Woman with headscarf

  • Clément, C. SC
  • Rita SC
    • (B)
B127d face
B127d face
B127d (
  • LK204
  • P-43
) 5000 Francs
France with African Women; Man Playing Harp
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/22/1950
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Man's head

  • Chapon, A. SC
    • (B)

Institut d'Émission de l'A.O.F. et du Togo

In 1955, BAO transitioned its responsibilities to the Institut d'Emission de l'A.O.F. et du Togo and the Institut d’Émission de l’Afrique Équatoriale Française et du Cameroun.

B301a (
  • LK205a
  • P-44
) 50 Francs Marketplace
Man with Bananas
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/10/1955
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Man's head


  • Tison, M. SC
    • (B)
B302a face
B302a face
B302a (
  • LK206a
  • P-45
) 50 Francs
African Girls; Dancer
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1956)
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Native man's head

  • Cras, Monique FEC
    • (F)
B303a (
  • LK207a
  • P-46
) 100 Francs Woman with Braids
  • 10/23/1956
  • Sig 1

B303b face
B303b face
B303b (
  • LK207a
  • P-46
) 100 Francs Woman with Braids
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/20/1957
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Young woman's head


  • Baudier SC
    • (B)
B304a (
  • LK208a
  • P-47
) 500 Francs Traditional and Modern Agriculture
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1959
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Young woman's head

B305a (
  • LK209a
  • P-48
) 1000 Francs Woman and Jugs, Gazelles
Woman in Native Costume of Upper-Guinea
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/10/1955

  • Watermark


  • Clément, C. SC
  • Rita SC
    • (B)
B306a 5000 Francs Modern and Traditional Palm Oil Manufacturing
  • Printer: BdF
  • Sig 1
  • Unconfirmed

  • Watermark


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