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1 Franc
| Issuer | Government of Madagascar and Dependencies |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Franc (1896-1945) |
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| Obverse description | The obverse reproduces the design of a contemporary Madagascar postal stamp printed in green and brown, with decorative borders framing a central agricultural vignette of labourers working in rice fields, with a distant town visible on the horizon. The letters 'R F' flank the word 'POSTES' at the top, while the denomination '1f' appears in a white panel at lower centre. The inscription 'MADAGASCAR et DÉPENDANCES' runs along the lower margin in bold lettering. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | Iraimbilanja 1 franc |
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| Comments |
Madagascar was under French colonial administration, and the island's monetary supply during the First World War was severely disrupted by the near-impossibility of shipping currency from metropolitan France. These emergency fractional notes were authorized by local decree to substitute for small coins that had effectively vanished from circulation — hoarded by a population with no faith that supply would recover.
The "and Dependencies" designation encompassed the Comoro Islands, which shared the currency arrangement. Pick 20 belongs to a small issue that was always intended as a stopgap, and surviving examples show heavy use consistent with notes that circulated until they fell apart.