Some French-printed notes

Right, unlike the paper money issued during the occupation (which looked like US notes) those are more "local" and, due to the portraits, similar to the later notes that the Bundesbank issued. The 50 DM note shows a portrait of either Willibald Pirckheimer or Hans Imhof, both from Nuremberg.

The 100 DM note from that series is quite similar, a portrait featuring Jakob Muffel, also from Nuremberg. The portraits on both notes are based on Albrecht Dürer paitings, just like the 5, 10 and 20 DM from the first Bundesbank series (issued in the early 1960s). Different portraits but a similar design.

Another "French German" series would be the Saarmark http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saar-Mark notes, I think. (The Saar-Mark only existed in the second half of 1947 and was then replaced by the Saar-Franken.) Not sure where they were produced, but as they are bilingual, and Saarland initially was a French protectorate, they may well have been made in France.

Christian

 

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Thanks for bringing these up, Christian. It's a beautiful set of notes, for sure, I wish I had them. They were printed by Banque de France for Saar, and designed and engraved by French artists of the period.

Dave

 

OT, but Germany sure had a fascinating array of currencies circulating during 1948, - old Reichsbanknotes, the Nazi currency, the AMC's, the US printed DM's, the Soviet printed Ostmarks, the Saar stuff, and the French printed 50DM.

 

Here's a new one, Tunisia P-31. It was issued during German occupation of WWII. This is an overprint on a note printed in 1892 by Banque de France, that was never issued. Paper is almost like tissue paper.





Dave

 

That realy is a lovely note Dave :bow:

 

This is a great thread. Thanks for sharing these notes!

 

The Tunisia note is pretty scarce. The Germans had these issued just before they were forcibly removed from the area in an attempt to wreck the economy. They were immediately withdrawn by the Allies and declared worthless.

The Saarmarks are great notes. I recently acquired my first, a 1 mark note. They were issued to prevent speculation in the franc-mark exchange rate when the Saar became economically linked to France.

 

Thanks for the info, lettow.

On that 1mark note from Saar... got a scan of it that we can see?

Dave

 

Here you go. Lower grade, but the price was right.

 

Nice! You just don't see those Saar notes, anywhere.

Dave

 

I thought I'd bring this back to the top with a couple notes I picked up from Comoros Islands. The first is by Clement Serveau, arguably one of the best artists of the French notes, and this one is quite hard to find (P4b, 1963):





And then a fairly new issue, P13, 2006:

 

Very nice, Dave, especially the early note. What year is that one?

 

The first is from 1963. Both are printed by Banque de France, amazing the change over the years...

 

Here's a note I just got in the mail today, from the last Lyn Knight auction. French West Africa P9B, it's quite rare in this condition (PMG Ch 45). I'm not sure I've seen a better one - you certainly see some rags of this note.

 

Wow, Dave M! That's a great note. I know what you're talking about in regards to the rarity in that condition. I don't remember ever seeing a better one either. Congratulations on getting this one!

 

Thanks Dave. Yes, it's been a long hunt for this, mostly trying to avoid giving in and buying something full of holes and rust

 

Another elusive French note. This time French West Africa, from 1953.

 

Oh! I've always thought this to be one of the great FWA notes! Awesome new note, Dave! Congratulations! I'm just a bit jealous. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks Dave, as you can see I did not find this one in Unc shape, but it is a pretty decent copy.

 

Voo good one