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1 Franc thin border
| Issuer | Trésor Colonial de la Martinique |
|---|---|
| Year | 1884 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Printed in red on cream paper, the obverse is framed by a thin decorative border composed of repetitive ornamental elements. The upper portion carries the issuing authority and decree inscriptions in letterpress, above the large denomination text UN FRANC at centre; below this, a ruled space is reserved for the serial number. Two manuscript signature lines for the Directeur de l'intérieur and the Trésorier-payeur appear in the lower half, above the guarantee legend, with the printer's imprint at the lower right margin. Official violet circular cancellation stamps are visible at upper right. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | COLONIE DE LA MARTINIQUE TRÉSOR COLONIAL Décret du 18 Août 1884 UN FRANC No Le Directeur de l'intérieur, Le Trésorier-payeur, La contre-valeur en espèces est déposée au Trésor. Imprimerie des Colonies (Translation: Colony of Martinique / Colonial Treasury / Decree of 18 August 1884 / One Franc / No. / The Director of the Interior, / The Treasurer-Paymaster, / The cash equivalent is deposited in the Treasury. / Printing House of the Colonies) |
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| Comments |
The Trésor Colonial de la Martinique operated as a quasi-fiscal instrument of French colonial administration rather than a conventional bank of issue — these small-denomination notes functioned primarily to address the chronic shortage of metallic currency in everyday retail transactions on the island. Printing locally at the Imprimerie des Colonies in Saint-Pierre gave the colonial treasury unusual operational independence for its era, though it also meant production quality varied considerably across the series.
The "thin border" designation distinguishes this Pick 3A from a closely related variant and is the kind of detail that matters enormously when attributing examples, since the two types circulated simultaneously.