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2 Francs - Chambre de Commerce d'Amiens [80]
| Issuer | Chambre de Commerce d'Amiens |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Francs |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
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| 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 |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Cream-coloured letterpress note with a repeating shell-and-scroll ornamental border. The year 1915 appears at the top centre flanked by decorative motifs, with the denomination 2 DEUX FRANCS 2 in bold type below, the numerals enclosed in plain rectangular frames at each side. The body of the note is divided into two columns of italic text setting out the legal conditions of issue and redemption, separated by a wavy vertical rule, with a red control stamp of the numeral 2 overprinted across the centre. A dotted rule separates the main text from a final line at foot stating the note's validity within the circumscription of Amiens, Doullens, and Montdidier. |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Without watermark |
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| Comments |
When the German advance in late 1914 disrupted normal banking across northern France, chambers of commerce across the occupied and near-front zones began issuing their own emergency paper — bons de nécessité — to keep local commerce moving. Amiens sat close enough to the front that the Somme would become synonymous with catastrophe within a year of this note's issue. The Chambre de Commerce d'Amiens turned to a local printer, the Imprimerie du Progrès de la Somme, which had operated since 1869 and was one of the more capable regional presses available.
The watermark is worth noting — relatively unusual for emergency municipal paper of this type, where most issuers dispensed with security features entirely in favor of speed.