2 francs - Chambre de Commerce de Boulogne-sur-Mer [62] avec valeur dans les coins inférieurs

When the war began in August 1914, the French banking system seized up almost immediately — the Banque de France suspended convertibility and small coin disappeared from circulation within weeks as hoarding took hold. Chambers of commerce across northern France were authorized under emergency decree to fill the gap with locally issued paper. Boulogne-sur-Mer, a major Channel port with substantial commercial activity, was among the earliest to respond.

The JP#31.16 variant is distinguished by the denomination printed in the lower corners — a layout detail used to differentiate it from otherwise similar emissions in the same series. These notes circulated locally and were not valid elsewhere, which kept most in the region and accelerated their wear.