Catalog
5 Francs
| Issuer | Banque d'État du Maroc |
|---|---|
| Year | 1924 |
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| Printer | Imprimerie Chaix, Paris, France (1845-1965) |
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| Obverse description | Intricate Moorish architectural guilloche vignette in blue and green tones dominates the centre, evoking the arched arcades and geometric tilework of traditional Moroccan craftsmanship. The denomination numeral '5' appears in each corner, with 'CINQ FRANCS' overprinted in red across the centre of the design. Serial numbers are printed in the upper and lower margins, with the issuing bank name at the top and the designer and printer credits at the lower left and right respectively. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is entirely in Arabic script, presenting the bank name, denomination, and legal tender text within an elaborate geometric guilloche border of interlocking stars and arabesques in blue tones. Three manuscript signatures appear across the centre of the note above a panel of Arabic anti-counterfeiting text. The denomination '5' is repeated in the upper corners, with the Arabic denomination also appearing in decorative cartouches at the lower left and right. The designer credit 'L. LECLERC' is noted at the lower left. |
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| Comments |
The Banque d'État du Maroc was not a Moroccan institution in any meaningful sense — it was established by the Act of Algeciras in 1906, the same international agreement that carved up spheres of influence over Morocco between France, Spain, and a consortium of European powers. The bank's shareholders were spread across fourteen signatory nations, though French capital dominated from the start. This 5 Francs note belongs to a period when Morocco remained a French protectorate and its currency infrastructure was entirely managed through that colonial framework.
Imprimerie Chaix, better known for railway timetables and posters, handled low-denomination notes in this series. Léon Leclerc's design credit appears on the plate.