Catalog
1000 Francs - Banque des Fonds Perdus
| Issuer | Banque des Fonds Perdus |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1000 Francs |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BANQUE DES FONDS PERDUS 1 000 MILLE FRANCS USAGE EXCLUSIF À LA SCÈNE |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | BANQUE DES FONDS PERDUS 1 000 MILLE FRANCS USAGE EXCLUSIF À LA SCÈNE |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The "Banque des Fonds Perdus" — literally the Bank of Lost Funds — was not a real issuing institution. These notes are satirical or novelty pieces, a French tradition of fictitious banknote design used for advertising, theatrical props, or political mockery. The name itself is the joke: fonds perdus in French means both "lost funds" and, in financial terminology, a non-recoverable investment or annuity with no return of principal.
Without confirmed dating or a known printer, provenance is difficult to establish. The format falls within ranges used by French printers for commercial ephemera in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.