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100 Francs - Luc Olivier Merson type 1906 with LOM
| Issuer | Banque de France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1908-1909 |
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| Composition | Paper |
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| Obverse description | Two allegorical female figures personifying Agriculture and Commerce are seated at the left and right margins respectively, each accompanied by a child amid an elaborate arrangement of fruits and foliate ornament, all rendered in fine intaglio engraving characteristic of early twentieth-century Banque de France production. The central field is enclosed within gilded moldings and ornate scrollwork borders. The designer's and engraver's credits appear within the lower border inscription. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | BANQUE DE FRANCE | BANQUE DE FRANCE 100 FR L'ART. 139 DU CODE PENAL PUNIT DES TRAVAUX FORCES CEUX QUI AURONT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIE LES BILLETS DE BANQUES AUTORISES PAR LA LOI, AINSI QUE CEUX QUI AURONT FAIT USAGE DE CES BILLETS CONTREFAITS OU FALSIFIES LOM LVC OLIVIER MERSON DEL F. FLORIAN ET ROMAGNOL SC |
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| Comments |
The Merson 100 Francs was France's prestige denomination for the better part of four decades, and the 1906 type — distinguished from later printings by the inclusion of Merson's initials "L.O.M." in the design — represents the earliest iteration of what became one of the most enduring banknote series in French history. Romagnoli's engraving work on both faces gave the note an unusually consistent visual quality; his hand is identifiable across the series.
The 1908–1909 date range reflects a brief initial production window before the type was reprinted without modification well into the 1930s, making period-accurate dating on surviving examples surprisingly important to collectors.