Lebanon

The Republic of Lebanon is situated on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea between Syria and Israel. Lebanon was under French control from 1920 to 1944.

Banque de Syrie et du Grand-Liban

1925-1935 Issues

B101a (
  • MK621
  • P-1
) 25 Piastres
Arabic text; Waterwheel of Hama on the Orontes River, Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Blue GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Stylized wheat and leaves
B102a (
  • MK622
  • P-2
) 50 Piastres
Arabic text; View of Village and Mosque
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Blue GRAND-LIBAN on back

  • Watermark: Stylized wheat and leaves
B103a (
  • MK623
  • P-3
) 1 Livre
Arabic text; Jounieh Bay, Beirut Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Blue GRAND-LIBAN on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head
B103b (
  • MK629
  • P-8A
) 1 Livre
  • 11/1/1930

B103c (
  • MK634
  • P-12
) 1 Livre
  • 2/1/1935

B104a (
  • MK624
  • P-4
) 5 Livres
Arabic text; Krak des Chevaliers Castle in Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head

  • Leclerc, L. DEL
    • (F)

B104b (
  • MK630
  • P-9
) 5 Livres
  • 11/1/1930
  • Type of 1925

B105a (
  • MK635
  • P-12A
) 5 Livres
Arabic text; Azm Palace in Damascus, Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/1/1935
  • Red LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Phoenician galley from a sarcophagus in the Beirut Museum
  • Demarcq, J. FEC
    • (F+B)

  • Boulas, L.J. SC
    • (F)

  • Demarcq, J. SC
  • Hourriez SC
    • (B)
B106a (
  • MK625
  • P-5
) 10 Livres
Arabic text; Temple of Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head
B106b (
  • MK631
  • P-10
) 10 Livres
  • 11/1/1930
  • Only one example known

B107a (
  • MK626
  • P-6
) 25 Livres
Arabic text; Citadel of Aleppo, Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Ram's Head
B107b (
  • MK632
  • P-11
) 25 Livres
  • 11/1/1930

B107c (
  • MK636
) 25 Livres
  • 2/1/1935

B108a (
  • MK627
  • P-7
) 50 Livres
Arabic text; Badawi mosque, fish pond, and gardens in North Tripoli
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Blue GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Ram's Head
B109a (
  • MK628
  • P-8
) 100 Livres
Arabic text; Mosque in Damascus, Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Ram's Head

1939 Provisional Issues

With horizontal black LIBAN 1939 overprint on front

B111 (
  • MK650
  • P-A13
) 1 Livre
Arabic text; Jounieh Bay in Beirut, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/1/1935
  • Blue GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head

  • Demarcq, J. FEC
    • (F+B)

  • Boulas, L.J. SC
    • (F)

  • Hourriez SC
    • (B)
B111.5a 5 Livres
Arabic text; Krak des Chevaliers Castle in Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head


  • Leclerc, L. DEL
    • (F)

B112a (
  • P-13
) 5 Livres
Multicolor Design; Azam Palace
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/1/1935
  • Red SYRIE in a Cartouche on back


  • Demarcq, J. FEC
  • Hourriez SC
    • (B)
B113 (
  • MK651
  • P-13A
) 5 Livres
Multicolor Design; Azam Palace
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/1/1935
  • Red LIBAN in a Cartouche on back


  • Demarcq, J. FEC
  • Hourriez SC
    • (B)
B114 (
  • MK658
) 10 Livres
Multicolor Design; Temple of Venus at Baalbeck, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 11/1/1930
  • Red SYRIE in a Cartouche on back

B115a (
  • MK652
  • P-13B
) 10 Livres
Multicolor Design; Temple of Venus at Baalbeck, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 11/1/1930
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head

B116a (
  • MK654
  • P-13C
) 25 Livres
Arabic text; Citadel of Aleppo, Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/1/1935
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Ram's Head

B117a (
  • P-13D
) 50 Livres
Multicolor Design; Temple of Venus at Baalbeck, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/1/1938
  • Blue SYRIE in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Ram Head

B117.5a 100 Livres
Arabic text; Mosque in Damascus, Syria
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1925
  • Red GRAND-LIBAN in a Cartouche on back

  • Watermark: Ram's Head

Banque de Syrie et du Liban

1939 First Issue

Face text in Arabic and back text in French

B201a (
  • MK644
  • P-15
) 1 Livre
Multicolor Floral Design, Two Eagles; Cedar Tree and Antelopes
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/1/1939
  • Red LIBAN printed on back

  • Watermark: Stylized eagle
B202a (
  • MK645
  • P-16
) 5 Livres
Multicolor Floral Design; Cedar Tree and Antelopes
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/1/1939
  • Red LIBAN printed on back

  • Watermark: Stylized eagle

  • Deloche SC
    • (F)

B203a (
  • MK646
  • P-17
) 10 Livres
Multicolor Floral Design; Fountain and trees in Beiteddine Palace courtyard in Beiteddine, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/1/1939
  • Red LIBAN printed twice on back

  • Watermark: Lion Heads

  • Deloche SC
    • (F)

B204a (
  • MK647
  • P-18
) 25 Livres
Ancient arches from Great Mosque of Baalbek; Head of lion from frieze on Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/1/1939
  • Blue LIBAN printed twice on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head


B205a (
  • MK648
  • P-19
) 50 Livres
Trees and buildings in Beiteddine Palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon; Corinthian columns of the 2nd century Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/1/1939
  • Blue LIBAN on back

  • Watermark: Bull Head


  • Hourriez SC
    • (B)
B206a (
  • MK649
  • P-21
) 250 Livres
baptistry of Saint John-Marc Cathedral in Byblos; Sea Castle in Sidon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/1/1939
  • Blue LIBAN twice on back

  • Watermark: Lion Head

  • Hourriez SC
    • (F)

  • Bornet SC
    • (B)

1939 Second Issue

Similar to 1939 issues, but denominated in Livres Libanaise

B207a (
  • P-22
) 10 Livres Libanaise
Multicolor Floral Design; Fountain and trees in Beiteddine Palace courtyard in Beiteddine, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/1/1939
  • Red LIBAN printed twice on back

  • Watermark: Lion Heads


  • Deloche SC
    • (F)

B208a (
  • MK656
  • P-23
) 25 Livres Libanaise
Ancient arches from Great Mosque of Baalbek; Head of lion from frieze on Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/1/1939
  • Blue LIBAN twice on back

  • Watermark: Horse Head



B209a (
  • MK657
  • P-24
) 50 Livres Libanaise
Trees and buildings in Beiteddine Palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon; Corinthian columns of the 2nd century Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/1/1939
  • Blue LIBAN on back

  • Watermark: Bull Head



  • Hourriez SC
    • (B)

1945-1950 Issues

Similar to 1939 issues, but face text in French and back text in Arabic

B218a face
B218a face
B218a (
  • MK676
  • P-48a
) 1 Livre Libanaise Multicolor Floral Design, Two Eagles
Cedar Tree and Antelopes
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1945

  • Watermark: Stylized eagle

B218b (
  • MK682
  • P-48a
) 1 Livre Libanaise Multicolor Floral Design, Two Eagles
  • 8/1/1950

B219a (
  • MK677
  • P-49a
) 5 Livres Libanaise
Multicolor Floral Design; Cedar Tree and Antelopes
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1945

  • Watermark: Stylized eagle


  • Deloche SC
    • (F)

B219b (
  • MK683
  • P-49a
) 5 Livres Libanaise
  • 8/1/1950

B220a (
  • MK678
  • P-50a
) 10 Livres Libanaises
Multicolor Floral Design; Fountain and trees in Beiteddine Palace courtyard in Beiteddine, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1945

  • Watermark: Lion Heads


  • Deloche SC
    • (F)

B220b (
  • MK684
  • P-50a
) 10 Livres Libanaises
  • 8/1/1950

B221a (
  • MK679
  • P-51a
) 25 Livres Libanaise
Ancient arches from Great Mosque of Baalbek; Head of lion from frieze on Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1945

  • Watermark: Horse Head



B221b (
  • MK685
  • P-51a
) 25 Livres Libanaise
  • 8/1/1950

B222a (
  • MK680
  • P-52a
) 50 Livres Libanaise
Trees and buildings in Beiteddine Palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon; Corinthian columns of the 2nd century Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1945

  • Watermark: Bull Head



  • Hourriez SC
    • (B)
B222b (
  • MK686
  • P-52a
) 50 Livres Libanaise
  • 8/1/1950

B223a (
  • MK681
  • P-53
) 100 Livres Libanaise
Ornate tapestry of birds, camels, flowers, jewels; Snow-capped mountain and cedar tree in Bsharri region
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1945

  • Watermark: Bull Head

  • Broutin SC
    • (F)

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