Catalog
10 Shillings / 12 Francs
| Issuer | States of Guernsey |
|---|---|
| Year | 1914 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Black intaglio print on blue guilloche underprint. A large central oval vignette carries the dual-denomination legend in bold letterpress, flanked by serial numbers at left and right. The ornate border incorporates corner rosettes with denomination numerals, and the full text of the promise-to-pay obligation appears within the central cartouche above the issuing authority line. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | THE STATES OF GUERNSEY TEN SHILLINGS TWELVE FRANCS Promise to pay the Bearer on Demand TEN SHILLINGS (TWELVE FRANCS) BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATES |
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| Comments |
Guernsey's bilingual denomination — ten shillings and twelve francs simultaneously — reflects the island's peculiar monetary position in 1914: legally British, but with a local franc-based accounting tradition that persisted in commerce long after the franc had ceased to be official tender. The dual-denomination format was a practical concession to a population that still priced goods in both systems.
Perkins, Bacon had been engraving security printing for colonial and island authorities since the early nineteenth century, and their work for Guernsey followed the same intaglio discipline used for postage stamps. The emergency circumstances of August 1914 drove the States to issue paper currency almost immediately after war was declared — coin hoarding had stripped small change from circulation within weeks.