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300 Francs - Cérès type 1938
| Issuer | Banque de France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1938-1939 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 300 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 | BANQUE DE FRANCE 300 TROIS CENTS FRANCS |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Head of Mercury in profile, drawn by Camille Chazal. |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The Cérès 300 Francs was a short-lived denomination, introduced as French authorities scrambled to meet demand for a mid-range note between the 100 and 1000 Franc values during a period of acute monetary pressure. The 300 Franc face value is itself unusual — round-number multiples of 100 were standard Banque de France practice, making this an outlier that signals genuine economic disruption rather than routine issuance policy.
Serveau's design was engraved by Deloche and printed at Prieur et Dubois in Puteaux, a short-run arrangement. The type was withdrawn from circulation after 1939, when wartime conditions made replacement and reissue impractical. Surviving circulated examples frequently show accelerated wear along the horizontal fold lines, consistent with heavy short-term use before supply dried up.