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Remarkable French banknotes from the 19th century

55 collectible items

A selection well worth the paper it’s written on!

Following the failure of the post-revolutionary assignats and the mandats territoriaux in France, paper money had fallen out of favor. In the aftermath of the Coup of 18 Brumaire, where the Directory was overthrown and replaced with the French Consulate, the country’s political situation found a new footing in a turbulent economic climate.

At the initiative of bankers, the Bank of France was finally founded in 1800, issuing its first banknotes in the process. Although the banknotes were not a success at first, they began to become a permanent way of life by the middle of the century.

Here is a carefully selected collection of the first “modern” banknotes, often rare, issued by France over the course of the 19th century.

View the collection

Painting: “Coffret” by the AI program Midjourney (2023) (All rights reserved)

France 5 Francs

Noir, 1873, 1873-05-01, UNC(63), Fayette:1.18, KM:60

France 100 Francs

...-1889 Circulated during XIXth, INDICES NOIRS, 1872

France 5 Francs

1873, 1873-02-27, UNC(63), Fayette:F1.15), KM:60

Banknote France

500 Francs, 1888, 1928-02-01, F(12-15), KM:66k

Banknote France

500 Francs, 1888, 1927-03-10, VF(20-25), KM:66k

Banknote France

500 Francs, 1888, 1937-08-05, F(12-15), Fayette:31.1, KM:88a

Banknote France

50 Francs, 50 F 1889-1927 ''Bleu et Rose'', 1899, 1899-03-30

France 20 Francs

Noir, 1874-12-11, W.166, VF(20-25)

Banknote France

100 Francs, 100 F 1888-1909 ''Bleu et Rose'', 1896

Banknote France

100 Francs, 100 F 1888-1909 ''Bleu et Rose'', 1895

France 5 Francs

Noir, 1873-09-04, Z.3065, UNC 64, PMG

Banknote France

5 Francs, 5 F 1871-1874 ''Noir'', 1872, 1872-01-11, UNC(63)

Selection published on 07/11/2023