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1 Franc Red
| Issuer | Chambre de Commerce de Bougie-Sétif |
|---|---|
| Year | 1918 |
| Type | Local banknote |
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| Obverse description | Blue and black letterpress print over a vivid red guilloche underprint, with an ornate arabesque border framing the entire note. The central vignette, set within an oval cartouche, presents a landscape with a lone tree and rolling hills. The denomination "1 FRANC" appears in large blue numerals and lettering at top left and right, with the place names "BOUGIE" and "SÉTIF" printed vertically along the left and right margins respectively. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | BOUGIE - SETIF 1 FRANC ECHANGEABLE CONTRE DES BILLETS DE LA BANQUE DE L'ALGÉRIE |
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| Comments |
Bougie-Sétif was one of dozens of Algerian chambres de commerce that began issuing emergency paper fractionals after the First World War disrupted the supply of small coinage across French colonial territories. The Banque de l'Algérie could not move enough bronze and nickel to meet everyday retail demand, so regional commercial bodies were authorised to fill the gap locally.
Adolphe Jourdan was Algiers' principal commercial printer — a logical choice for speed, not prestige. These notes were a stopgap, intended for a brief circulatory life, which is precisely why so few survive in decent condition.