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West African States

West African States is an economic union formed in 1962, and consists of Benin, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Togo, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau. W.A.S. banknotes are issued by Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest.

Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest

1958-1959 ND Issues

General issues for all states with no branch code. For similar notes issued by Institut d'Emission de l'A.O.F. et du Togo, see French West Africa.

B101a (
  • LK211a
  • P-1
) 50 Francs
African Girls; Dancer
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1959)
  • Sig 1

  • Cras, Monique FEC
    • (F)
B102a face
B102a face
B102a (
  • LK212
  • P-2a
) 100 Francs Woman with Braids
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/23/1959
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark: Woman


  • Baudier SC
    • (B)
B102b face
B102b face
B102b (
  • LK219
  • P-2b
) 100 Francs Woman with Braids
  • ND (1966)
  • Sig 5
  • Penal Code: Penal code changed from L'ARTICLE 139... to LES AUTEURS...

B103a (
  • LK220
  • P-3
) 500 Francs Traditional and Modern Agriculture
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1959
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 1

  • Watermark

B104a (
  • LK234
  • P-4
) 1000 Francs
West African Couple; Rope Bridge
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/17/1959
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 1

  • Baudier SC
    • (B)
B105a (
  • LK248
  • P-5
) 5000 Francs Modern and Traditional Palm Oil Manufacturing
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/15/1959
  • Sig 1


1959-1965 ND Issues

Since 1959, all notes have a branch code showing which country they were issued for.

B106Kb face
B106Kb face
B106Kb (
  • LK214K
  • P-701Kb
) 100 Francs African Woman and Village
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/20/1961
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 2

  • Watermark: Young girl

  • Baudier SC
    • (B)
B106Kf face
B106Kf face
B106Kf (
  • LK218K
  • P-701Kf
) 100 Francs African Woman and Village
  • ND (1965)
  • Litho
  • Sig 4
B107Ka (
  • LK220K
  • P-702Ka
) 500 Francs Traditional and Modern Agriculture
  • 4/15/1959
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 1
B107Kb (
  • LK220K
  • P-702Kb
) 500 Francs Traditional and Modern Agriculture
  • 3/20/1961
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 1
  • Penal code starts with "LES AUTEURS..."
  • Penal Code: New penal code starts with LES AUTEURS...
B107Km face
B107Km face
B107Km (
  • LK232K
  • P-702Km
) 500 Francs Traditional and Modern Agriculture
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1959-65)
  • Litho
  • Sig 11

  • Watermark: Young girl in profile
B108Ab (
  • LK234A
  • P-103Ab
) 1000 Francs West African Couple
  • Intaglio
  • Sig 1-6
B108Am face
B108Am face
B108Am (
  • LK236A
  • P-103Am
) 1000 Francs West African Couple
Rope Bridge
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1959-65)
  • Litho
  • Sig 13

  • Watermark: Young man

  • Baudier SC
    • (B)
B108Atr face
B108Atr (
  • P-103Atr
) 1000 Francs West African Couple
  • Intaglio Printer's Waste
B109Ah face
B109Ah face
B109Ah (
  • LK256A
  • P-104Ah
) 5000 Francs Modern and Traditional Palm Oil Manufacturing
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1961-65)
  • Sig 9

  • Watermark: Young girl in profile

1977-1981 ND Issues

Since 1981, FCO has printed the 500fr, 1000fr and 2500fr denominated notes, while BdF has printed the 5000fr and 10,000fr notes.

B110Aa face
B110Aa face
B110Aa (
  • LK259A
  • P-105Aa
) 500 Francs Zebus
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1979
  • Sig 13
  • Red denomination and text at top, small serial number font

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

B111Da (
  • P-405Da
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1981
  • Sig 15
B111Df face
B111Df face
B111Df (
  • LK272D
  • P-405Df
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1988
  • Sig 12
  • Green denomination and text at top

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

B111Ka (
  • P-706Kb
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1981
  • Sig 15
  • 10-digit s/n; Block Q.3-S.3
B111Kb1 (
  • P-706Kc
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1981
  • Sig 15
  • 9-digit s/n; Block F.9
B111Kb2 face
B111Kb2 face
B111Kb2 (
  • P-706Kc
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1981
  • Sig 15
  • Green denomination and text at top
  • Error, first 3 digits of s/n stuck on "0"; Block B.7-Q.8, W.9, R.8-C.10

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

B111Kc (
  • P-706Ke
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1981
  • Sig 17
  • Block X.10
B111Kd face
B111Kd face
B111Kd (
  • P-706Kd
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1982
  • Sig 17
  • 10-digit s/n; Block O.4
B111Ke face
B111Ke face
B111Ke (
  • P-706Kf
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1983
  • Sig 17
  • Block W.4
B111Kf face
B111Kf face
B111Kf (
  • P-706Kg
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1984
  • Sig 19
  • K.11, L.11
B111Kg face
B111Kg face
B111Kg (
  • P-706Kh
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1985
  • Sig 19
  • Block H.13-N.13
B111Kh face
B111Kh face
B111Kh (
  • P-706Ki
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1986
  • Sig 20
B111Ki (
  • P-706Kj
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1987
  • Sig 17
  • Block U.17-X.17
B111Kj (
  • P-706Ka
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1988
  • Sig 12
  • Block Q.18-U.19
B111Kk face
B111Kk face
B111Kk (
  • P-706Kk
) 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1989
  • Sig 21
  • Reversed position of signatures and titles; Block S.20-O.21
B111Kl 500 Francs Man with Hat, Zebus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1990
  • Sig 22
  • Block T.22
B112Df face
B112Df face
B112Df (
  • LK283D
  • P-406Da
) 1000 Francs Phosphate Mine
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1988
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

B113Dg face
B113Dg face
B113Dg (
  • LK301D
  • P-407Da
) 5000 Francs Traditional and Modern Fishing
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1988
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

B114Ab face
B114Ab face
B114Ab (
  • LK309A
  • P-109Ad
) 10,000 Francs Traditional and Modern Weaving
  • Printer: BdF
  • ND (1977-92)
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Woman in profile

  • Poilliot, G. SC
    • (B)

1991-2003 Issues

The first two digits of the serial number are the year of issue of the note for this and the next series.

B115Ab face
B115Ab face
B115Ab (
  • P-110Ab
) 500 Francs Hydroelectric Dam and Tractor. See Specialized Collection of this note
  • Printer: FCO
  • 2002
  • 140 x 80mm
  • Sig 31

  • Microprint: Countries of the West Arican States
  • Watermark: Farmer's head
B116Dc face
B116Dc face
B116Dc (
  • LK337D
  • P-411Dc
) 1000 Francs
Young Woman, Storage of Groundnut; Women Carrying Baskets
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1993
  • 150 x 80mm
  • Sig 25

  • Microprint
  • UV
  • Watermark: Draped woman's head
B117Dc face
B117Dc face
B117Dc (
  • LK347D
  • P-412Dc
) 2500 Francs
Woman, Hydroelectric Dam; Spraying Trees
  • Printer: FCO
  • 1994
  • 155 x 80mm
  • Sig 27

  • Microprint
  • UV
  • Watermark: Native woman
B118Bl face
B118Bl face
B118Bl (
  • LK355Bbis(4)
  • P-213Bl
) 5000 Francs
Uranium Factory; Market Scene
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2002
  • 163 x 80mm
  • Sig 31

  • Microprint
  • UV
  • Watermark: Native woman
B119Aa face
B119Aa face
B119Aa (
  • LK356A
  • P-114Aa
) 10,000 Francs
BCEAO Tower; Woman and Rope Bridge
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1992
  • 170 x 80mm
  • Sig 25

  • Microprint
  • UV
  • Watermark: Native man

2003- Issues

B120Tb face
B120Tb face
B120Tb (
  • P-819Tb
) 500 Francs Hippopotamus
  • Printer: FCO
  • 2013
  • Sig 40

  • Omron
  • Thread
  • Watermark: Sawfish/500
B121Db face
B121Db face
B121Db (
  • P-415Db
) 1000 Francs Health & Education
  • Printer: FCO
  • 2004
  • Sig 32

  • Microprint
  • Omron
  • Thread
  • UV
  • Watermark: Sawfish/1000
B122Db face
B122Db face
B122Db (
  • P-416Db
) 2000 Francs Transportation
  • Printer: FCO
  • 2004
  • Sig 32

  • Microprint
  • Omron
  • Thread
  • UV
  • Watermark: Sawfish/2000
B123Aa face
B123Aa face
B123Aa (
  • P-117Aa
) 5000 Francs Agriculture
  • Printer: FCO
  • 2003
  • Sig 32

  • Omron
  • Thread
  • UV
  • Watermark: Sawfish/5000
B124Kh face
B124Kh face
B124Kh (
  • P-718Kg
) 10,000 Francs Telecommunications
  • Printer: FCO
  • 2009
  • Sig 35

  • Omron
  • Thread
  • Watermark: Sawfish/10000

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