FRANCE - SOUGHT AFTER EMERGENCY ISSUE FRENCH BANKNOTE FROM THE WORLD WAR ONE PERIOD - Issued by Chambre de Commerce d’AVIGNON et de VAUCLUSE during 1922 for 50 Centimes - in about Fine, circulated Condition -
FRANCE EMERGENCY ISSUE NOTE - SMALL BANKNOTE ISSUED BY CHAMBRE de COMMERCE d’AVIGNON et de VAUCLUSE in 1922 in the post World War One Period.
AVIGNON is the prefecture and capital of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France.
Catalogue Reference:- Pirot#18-26.
50 Centimes denomination - TROISIÈME ÉMISSION DE REMPLACEMENT 1922.
The banknote is sized 97 x 65mm.
This old Emergency issue banknote is in Brown on a light Yellow/Orange background on the face and the reverse. In addition there is some printing in Red on both sides, all on White paper, which is unwatermarked.
This old banknote has an interesting design within a rather ornate border, which features Bees or House Flies at each corner, I cannot decide which!!
At the very top of the banknote is RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE and between these words at the very top centre is the Coat of Arms of Avignon. NB - These arms date from the pontificate of Pope Clement VI, who purchased Avignon in 1348. He wanted to change its original Coat of Arms and replace the Eagle on it with three Gold keys on a Red field. He chose keys because then and still today keys are an enduring symbol of the Holy See. This acquisition turned the papal seat from a rented property into true church owned property!!
Below in the background is a large ornate bright Red 0,50 in hollowed out numerals, for the denomination, this is printed over the denomination as 50 CENTIMES in White reversed out of a solid Brown Bar. At the bottom centre is the Coat of Arms of Apt with its legend at the top of the Arms - FELICIBUS APTA TRIUMPHIS - meaning something like - ‘Successful Triumphs for Apt’. At the centre left in the border are the Arms of Carpentras and at the centre right border are the Arms of Orange. The significance of the four Coats of Arms featured, is that these four places are the four major urban centres within the Vaucluse department, then and now.
The banknote is signed at the bottom left on the face by Le Président and at the bottom right by Le Trésorier.
The reverse of the banknote is also in Brown on a light Orange background. It has a border with a circular geometric pattern repeated all the way around. The denomination as ‘0.50’ is in white reversed out of solid Brown at each corner. The emblem of the Chambre de Commerce, which has a Caduceus, an Anchor and a Bell on a rope, is at the top centre. Within the border is just text, at the top in bright Red is TROISIÈME ÉMISSION DE REMPLACEMENT 1922 - meaning - ‘Third Replacement issue 1922’.
Within the rectangular centre of the banknote is just text stating - ‘Les bons de 1 franc et de 50 centimes de la Chambre de Commerce d’Avignon et de Vaucluse sont émis sous sa responsabilité et sa garantie.
Ils devront etre presente au remboursement avant le 31 décembre 1925 (Deliberation de la Chambre de Commerce d'Avignon et de Vaucluse du 26 octobre 1921').
All this means - 'The 1 franc and 50 centime banknotes/vouchers of the Chamber of Commerce of Avignon and the Vaucluse are issued under its responsibility and guarantee.
They must be presented for redemption before December 31, 1925 (Resolution of the Avignon and Vaucluse Chamber of Commerce on October 26, 1921).
On the face of the banknote there is no Série letter or number, just Serial No. 1,054,052 in bright Red at the lower centre.
The printer’s ident. is in the margin on the face of the banknote at the bottom right, in tiny lettering as - BERGER LEVRAULT, NANCY-PARIS-STRASBOURG.
This old Emergency Issue banknote has seen circulation, there are two strong central folds, other creasing and some smaller folds, the note does have some slight edge and corner wear, plus four of the almost ubiquitous tiny pinoles at the left hand side, but there is no other damage in evidence, the note has some very light dirt along the top edge, as previously mentioned - so overall this lovely old banknote grades to a/Fine.
Crazy Low start of just £0.75.
See all my other banknotes in my eBay shop, most at BUY IT NOW prices and with Make Offer options.
This old French emergency issue banknote will be sent in a well-protected sleeve strengthened with cardboard.
HISTORICAL NOTES:- Billets de Nécessite and other Emergency notes were issued in Europe - predominantly in France, during and after World War One from about 1914 and up to the early 1920's, they were used in towns and regions in place of coins which during wartime became scarce as the metal was needed for industry, their use by and large became redundant by the mid 1920's as the economies began to recover following the privations of Wartime. On most of these emergency banknotes there was an issue date with details of the date, place and time they could be exchanged for regular currency issued by the Banque de France or other Central Bank.
There are hundreds of different types issued in France, they were issued mainly in denominations of 50c, 1 Franc and 2 Francs. They are interesting historic documents. The same issues were often printed on any paper that was to hand, sometimes of poor quality, even lined paper from School exercise books, tissue paper, tracing paper and cardboard were used on occasion.
PINHOLES:- Most French notes of the period inevitably had pinholes because of the quirky way that shops used to deal with banknotes, when a customer paid for an item with notes, a receipt was always given and a copy kept by the retailer to which he stapled or pinned the banknote. The practise had generally died out in France by the 1980's, but it still goes on in some shops in rural areas to this day!!
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