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2 francs Chambre de Commerce de Bayonne 64
| Issuer | Chambre de Commerce de Bayonne |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915-1917 |
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| Currency | Franc (1795-1959) |
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| Obverse description | The obverse bears the heading 'CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE DE BAYONNE' above the denomination '2 FRANCS' in large numerals, with the deliberation date of 16 January 1915 stated in the body text. The note carries two manuscript signature lines for the Treasurer and the President, a six-digit serial number with series letter, and an exchange clause affirming convertibility into Banque de France notes, all set within a guilloche border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in blue on cream paper and headed 'DÉPARTEMENT DES BASSES-PYRÉNÉES' in bold arched lettering. The central vignette presents the octagonal seal of the Chambre de Commerce de Bayonne — bearing a three-masted sailing vessel and the motto VIGENT FIDE — flanked by two municipal coats of arms, each accompanied by a Latin motto scroll: 'NUNQUAM POLLUTA' to the left and 'URBIS PALLADIUM ET GENTIS' to the right, all framed by laurel and oak branches within a fine guilloche border. At the foot, a text line specifies the redemption deadline: 'Ce billet devra être présenté au remboursement avant le 1er Mars 1920'. |
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| Comments |
The Chambres de Commerce emergency notes issued across France from 1914 onward were a direct response to the hoarding crisis that stripped small-denomination coinage from circulation within weeks of mobilization. Bayonne's chamber was among the earlier provincial issuers to act, and the 2-franc denomination was the highest the chamber authorized — a ceiling that reflected both the legal limits on local issuance and the practical reality of what daily commerce in the Pays Basque required.
The JP#21-19 à 23 range covers five distinct date or control variants within the series, making assembly of a complete run genuinely challenging.