Catalog
2 Francs - Chambre de Commerce de Dunkerque 59
| Issuer | Chambre de Commerce de Dunkerque |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| 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 |
| 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 | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Red letterpress reverse with a bold decorative border of oak-leaf sprays and dotted rules. Two large circular medallions, each containing the numeral '2', are positioned symmetrically and surmounted by ship's anchors suspended from rings, connected at centre by a horizontal bar with acorn-shaped finials. A circular watermark impression is visible at centre. The issuer name is split between the top and bottom registers of the border. |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Watermark |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
French chambers of commerce were authorized to issue emergency small-denomination notes during and after the First World War to compensate for the near-total disappearance of coin from circulation. Dunkerque's chamber was among dozens that took up this privilege, with Imprimerie Chaix — a Paris house better known for railway timetables and posters — producing the physical notes. Léon Leclerc's design credit is unusually specific for a provincial emergency issue; most such commissions went uncredited entirely.
The JP reference covering four catalog numbers against a single design suggests multiple date or series variants share the same basic plate.