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100 Francs Porto-Novo
| Issuer | Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 100 Francs |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in rose-red tones and carries a central vignette with two large elephant figures flanking either side of the note, set against a background of stylized tropical foliage and guilloche underprint. The denomination "Cent Francs" is inscribed in large letterpress script at centre, below the bank title "BANQUE DE L'AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE", with the black overprint "PORTO-NOVO" applied diagonally across the note face. Three signature lines for an Administrateur, Directeur, and Caissier appear in the lower portion, with the manuscript date 9 Mars 1916 also visible. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in pale blue-grey tones and is entirely composed in Arabic script, with an elaborate geometric border of interlocking diamond and angular guilloche patterns framing the central text panel. Arabic legends state the bank name and denomination, with the value "Cent Francs" rendered in Arabic numerals and script. A bold black overprint reading "Dahomey" is applied diagonally across the centre of the reverse, and the engraver's signature "Georges DUVAL . fecit." appears at lower left. |
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| Comments |
The Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale was a private commercial institution operating under French government concession — not a central bank — which gives this note an unusual legal character. Porto-Novo, the designated place of payment, was the colonial capital of Dahomey, and the regional specificity of that designation reflects the BAO's practice of issuing location-coded notes across its West African branch network rather than a single undifferentiated currency.
Bellery-Desfontaines was primarily a poster artist and illustrator; his involvement in banknote design was occasional. The engraving was handled by the Florian brothers, both associated with the Banque de France's own printing workshops, which is consistent with the confirmed Paris printing.
1916 production for a colonial note of this denomination means wartime paper and wartime printing pressures — French metropolitan resources were stretched, and colonial currency work was not the priority.