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250 Francs - type 1808 branches
| Issuer | Banque de France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1810-1812 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Fay#A07 |
| Obverse description | Octagonal-bordered note printed in black on cream paper, with a decorative frame of floral and geometric ornaments at the corners and along the edges. The central text reads 'Comptoir de Lyon / Deux-Cent-Cinquante Francs', payable at Lyon to the bearer, dated at Paris. A small intaglio vignette at center-lower shows a classical allegorical figure; signature lines for the Directeur du Comptoir and the Secrétaire de la Banque appear below the text, with the denomination 'F. 250' printed at the foot. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Le Caissier du Comptoir Le Contrôleur de la Banque Entré en caisse Contrôlé le Sortie F. Banque de France AT ET AU-DESSOUS 50 Cent. |
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| Comments |
The type 1808 series was among the earliest standardized large-denomination issues from the Banque de France following Napoleon's reorganization of the bank under imperial charter in 1806. By this point the institution held monopoly rights over note issue in Paris, but public confidence in paper remained fragile — memories of the assignat collapse of the 1790s had not faded, and high-denomination notes like this 250 Francs circulated almost exclusively among merchants and banking houses rather than in everyday trade.
Fay A07 survivors are genuinely rare. The Banque de France systematically destroyed returned notes throughout this period, and the narrow two-year issue window limits the number that could have escaped cancellation.