Tunisia

The Tunisian Republic is the northernmost country in Africa, and was under French Protectorate from 1881 to 1956. Until 1946 banknotes designs were largely shared with Algeria.

Banque de l'Algérie

The Banque de l’Algérie was created by the French Second Republic in 1851 as an issuing bank for Algeria. When Tunisia became a French Protectorate in 1881, BDA overprinted Algerian notes for use, and by 1949 specific designs were released for Tunisia.

1904-1942 Blue Issues

B201 (
  • MK401
  • P-1
) 5 Francs Mercury and Farmer
Blue.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1892-1925
  • 129 x 90mm

  • Watermark: BANQUE / 5 FRANCS / de L'ALGERIE / 5 and Lion

(F+B)
B202a (
  • MK405
  • P-2a
) 20 Francs Mercury and Hercules
Blue.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1898-1909
  • 153 x 98mm

  • Watermark: “BANQUE / 20 FRANCS / de L'ALGERIE / 20” and Lion

(F+B)
(F)
(B)
B202b (
  • MK405bis
) 20 Francs Mercury and Hercules
  • 1909-1912
  • Sig

B203a (
  • MK409a
  • P-3a
) 50 Francs Cherubs
Blue.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1904-1908
  • 157 x 109mm

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: “BANQUE / 50 FRANCS / de L'ALGERIE / 50” and Lion

(F+B)
B203a (
  • MK409bis
) 50 Francs Cherubs
  • 1909-1912
  • Sig

B204a-b (
  • MK415a
  • P-4
) 100 Francs Allegorical Boys Representing Industry and Agriculture
Blue.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1904-1908
  • 180 x 120mm

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: “BANQUE / 100 FRANCS / de L'ALGERIE / 100” and Lion

(F+B)
B204c-d (
  • MK415bis
  • P-4
) 100 Francs Allegorical Boys Representing Industry and Agriculture
  • 1911-1919
  • Sig

B205 (
  • MK420
  • P-5
) 500 Francs Allegories of Fortune and Mercury
Blue.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1912-1926
  • 196 x 120mm

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: “BANQUE / 500 FRANCS / de L'ALGERIE / 5” and Lion

(F+B)
B206 (
  • MK426
  • P-7
) 1000 Francs Allegories of Navigation and Industry
Blue.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1892-1925
  • 232 x 135mm

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: “BANQUE / 1000 FRANCS / de L'ALGERIE / 1000” and Lion

(F+B)
(F)
(B)

1912-1942 Issues

B207a (
  • MK403
  • P-8a
) 5 Francs Muslim Girl
  • 1925-33
  • Sig 4

B207b (
  • MK403
  • P-8a
) 5 Francs Muslim Girl
  • 1934-39
  • Sig 1

B207c (
  • MK403
  • P-8b
) 5 Francs Muslim Girl
  • 1939-40
  • Sig 4

B207d face
B207d face
B207d (
  • MK403
  • P-8d
) 5 Francs Muslim Girl
Veiled Algerian woman at Port d'Algers
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/27/1941
  • Sig 2

  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head

(F)
(B)
B208a (
  • MK406a
  • P-6a
) 20 Francs Algerian Woman
  • 1918-23
  • Sig 3

B208b (
  • MK406b
  • P-6a
) 20 Francs Algerian Woman
  • 1923-34
  • Sig 4

B208c (
  • MK406c
  • P-6b
) 20 Francs Algerian Woman
  • 1938-39
  • Sig 1

B208d face
B208d face
B208d (
  • MK406d
  • P-6b
) 20 Francs Algerian Woman
Purple. Boys and Cactus
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/17/1941
  • Sig 2

  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head

(F)
B209a (
  • MK410
) 50 Francs Buildings in Algiers, Woman and Boy Picking Fruit
Purple.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1913

(F)
B210a (
  • MK411
  • P-9
) 50 Francs Buildings in Algiers, Woman and Boy Picking Fruit
Green.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1920-21
  • Sig 3

(F)
B210b (
  • MK411
  • P-9
) 50 Francs Buildings in Algiers, Woman and Boy Picking Fruit
  • 1924-33
  • Sig 4

B210c (
  • MK411
  • P-9
) 50 Francs Buildings in Algiers, Woman and Boy Picking Fruit
  • 1936-37
  • Sig 1

B211a (
  • MK416
  • P-10a
) 100 Francs Two Boys, Bedouin with Camel
Violet, Blue.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1921-22
  • Sig 5a

(F+B)
(F)
B211b (
  • MK416
  • P-10a
) 100 Francs Two Boys, Bedouin with Camel
  • 1924
  • Sig 5b

B211c (
  • MK416
  • P-10a
) 100 Francs Two Boys, Bedouin with Camel
  • 1928-33
  • Sig 6

B211d (
  • MK416
  • P-10a
) 100 Francs Two Boys, Bedouin with Camel
  • 1936-38
  • Sig 7

B212a (
  • MK421
  • P-14
) 500 Francs Muslim Woman, Allegorial Woman
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/20/1926
  • Sig 6

(F+B)
(B)
B212b (
  • MK421
  • P-14
) 500 Francs Muslim Woman, Allegorial Woman
  • 1938
  • Sig 7

B212c (
  • MK421
  • P-14
) 500 Francs Muslim Woman, Allegorial Woman
  • 1939-42
  • Sig 8

B213a (
  • MK428
  • P-11a
) 1000 Francs Allegorial Woman with Sword, Dancing Algerian Woman
Green.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1926
  • Sig 6

(F)
B213b (
  • MK428
  • P-11b
) 1000 Francs Allegorial Woman with Sword, Dancing Algerian Woman
  • 1938
  • Sig 7

B213c (
  • MK428
  • P-11b
) 1000 Francs Allegorial Woman with Sword, Dancing Algerian Woman
  • 1939
  • Sig 8

1938-1945 Issues

B214a (
  • MK412
  • P-12a
) 50 Francs Algerian Couple
  • 1938
  • Sig 1
  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head

B214b (
  • MK412
  • P-12a
) 50 Francs Algerian Couple
  • 1939-42
  • Sig 2

B214c face
B214c face
B214c (
  • MK412
  • P-12a
) 50 Francs Algerian Couple
Ruins of El Djem Amphitheatre, Tunisia
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/29/1942
  • Sig 2
  • Date flanked by letters

  • Watermark: Bust of Moorish Woman in profile

(F)
B214d (
  • MK412
  • P-12b
) 50 Francs Algerian Couple
  • 1942
  • Sig 2
  • Watermark: BANQUE DE L'ALGERIE

B214e (
  • MK412
  • P-12a
) 50 Francs Algerian Couple
  • 1945
  • Sig 2
  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head

B215a face
B215a face
B215a (
  • MK417
  • P-13a
) 100 Francs Algerian Man
Algerian Man wearing Turban; Farmer with Oxen
  • 2/8/1941
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head

(F+B)
(F)
(B)
B215b (
  • MK417
  • P-13b
) 100 Francs Algerian Man
  • 1942
  • Sig 8
  • Watermark: BANQUE DE L'ALGERIE

1941-1945 Issues

B216a face
B216a face
B216a (
  • MK404a
  • P-15
) 5 Francs Muslim Girl
Veiled Algerian woman at Port d'Algers, Amirauté Lighhouse
  • 2/8/1944
  • Sig 5

(F)
(B)
B216b (
  • MK404b
  • P-16
) 5 Francs Muslim Girl
  • 2/8/1944
  • Sig 5


B217a (
  • MK407
  • P-17
) 20 Francs Algerian Woman, Boys and Cactus
  • 1944-45
  • Sig 5

B217b (
  • MK407b
  • P-18
) 20 Francs Algerian Woman, Boys and Cactus
  • 1943 - 1944
  • Sig titles “SECRETAIRE GÉNÉRAL” and “CAISSIER PRINCIPAL”
  • Date flanked by letters

B217c face
B217c face
B217c (
  • MK407c
  • P-18
) 20 Francs Algerian Woman, Boys and Cactus
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/2/1945
  • Sig 2
  • Sig titles “L'INSPECTEUR GÉNÉRAL” and “CAISSIER PRINCIPAL”
  • Date without letters

(F)
B218a (
  • MK422
  • P-19
) 500 Francs Two Boys, Bedouin with Camel
Green.
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1943-44

(F+B)
(F)
B219a (
  • MK429
  • P-20a
) 1000 Francs Family Farming
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1941-1942
  • Date without letters

  • Watermark: Woman's head

(F+B)
(F)
(B)
B219b (
  • MK429
) 1000 Francs Family Farming
  • 1942
  • Date flanked by letters

B219c (
  • MK429
  • P-20b
) 1000 Francs Family Farming
  • 1942
  • Date without letters
  • Watermark: Banque de l'Algerie

B219d (
  • MK429
) 1000 Francs Family Farming
  • 1942
  • Date without letters
  • Watermark: Woman's head

B220a (
  • MK434
  • P-21
) 5000 Francs Muslim Woman, Allegorial Woman
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1942

(F+B)
(B)

1942 Provisional Issue

German Occupation

B221a face
B221a face
B221a (
  • MK433
  • P-31
) 1000 Francs Minerva and other Allegorical Figures
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1942
  • 180 x 111mm
  • Sig 9
  • Series 2-54

  • Watermark: Two faces in profile

(F)
(B)

1946-1948 Issues

B222a (
  • MK408
  • P-22
) 20 Francs Green, Ornamental Design
  • 6/4/1948
(F)
B222b (
  • MK408
) 20 Francs Green, Ornamental Design
  • 6/7/1948
B223a face
B223a face
B223a (
  • MK419
  • P-24
) 100 Francs Hermes
Launching a boat at Sousse, Mosaic
  • Printer: BdF
  • 11/3/1947
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head
(F)
(B)
B223b face
B223b face
B223b (
  • MK419
  • P-24
) 100 Francs Hermes
  • 2/9/1948
  • Sig 10
  • Letters before and after the date
B224a (
  • MK423
  • P-25
) 500 Francs Winged Victory, Mosaic at Dougga (Cyclops at Work)
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1946-47

  • Watermark
(F)
(B)
B225 (
  • MK431
  • P-26
) 1000 Francs Family Farming
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1941-1942

  • Watermark: Banque de l'Algerie
(F+B)
(F)
(B)

Banque de l'Algérie et de la Tunisie

Banque de l’Algérie officially changed its name to Banque de l’Algérie et de la Tunisie in 1948. It printed specific notes for each country.

1949 Issues

B301 (
  • MK414a
  • P-23
) 50 Francs Blue, Ornamental Design
  • 1949
(F)
B302a (
  • MK435
  • P-27
) 5000 Francs Statue of Apollo
Arch of Trajen at Timgad
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1942
(F)
(B)

1950-1952 Issues

B303b face
B303b face
B303b (
  • MK424b
  • P-28
) 500 Francs Winged Victory, Mosaic at Dougga (Cyclops at Work)
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/16/1952
  • Sig 2

  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head

(F)
(B)
B304a face
B304a face
B304a (
  • MK432
  • P-29
) 1000 Francs Roman Ruins of Temples of Sheitla
"Triumph of Neptune" Mosaic from Chebba, Tunisia
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/15/1950
  • 185 x 93mm
  • Sig 2

  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head
(F+B)
B305a face
B305a face
B305a (
  • MK436
  • P-30
) 5000 Francs Roman Ruins of Dougga, Roman Emperor Vespasian
"Triumph of Bacchus" Mosaic from Phoenician Colony Hadrumetum
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/20/1950
  • 207 x 105mm
  • Sig 2

  • Watermark: Moorish Woman's head
(F+B)
(F)
(B)

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