Catalog
2 Francs Oran
| Issuer | Chambre de Commerce d'Oran |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Francs |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in blue-green on cream paper and centres on a circular heraldic vignette of the Chambre de Commerce d'Oran seal, flanked by two reclining cherubs resting amid foliage and fruit. The denomination "2fr" appears in guilloche-bordered circular cartouches to the left and right, within a fine ornamental frame. The printer's imprint appears in the lower right margin. |
| Reverse lettering | Chambre de Commerce d'Oran Délibération du 10 Novembre 1915 Imp Moullot Marseille |
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| Comments |
Wartime necessity drove France's chambers of commerce into emergency note issue from 1914 onward, as the hoarding of coins drained small-denomination currency from everyday trade almost immediately after mobilization. Oran's chamber was among dozens across metropolitan France and Algeria that filled the gap with locally authorized paper, printed on the mainland and shipped across the Mediterranean.
Moullot fils aîné was a significant Marseille commercial printer with long experience in North African institutional work — a practical choice for an Algerian chamber that needed fast, competent production without the delays of Paris. The five Pick references (JP#141.14 through .18) indicate distinct date or signature varieties within what is otherwise a single design run.