Catalog
5 Shillings / 6 Francs
| Issuer | States of Guernsey |
|---|---|
| Year | 1914 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Black letterpress on a pink guilloche underprint, with the Guernsey coat of arms printed as a lightly tinted central vignette. Denomination roundels at upper left reading '5/-' and upper right reading '6 frs.' flank the promissory text set in bold gothic and copperplate scripts, with two manuscript signatures below. A decorative ornamental panel inscribed 'Five Shillings' occupies the lower left corner. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Uniface note; the reverse is plain, with only a faint blind impression of the obverse letterpress text and underprint visible through the paper stock. |
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| Comments |
Guernsey's decision to issue its own emergency paper currency in 1914 was a direct response to the financial panic that swept Britain and the Channel Islands in the first weeks of the war. Gold and silver disappeared from circulation almost overnight as hoarding took hold, and the States of Guernsey moved quickly to fill the void — printing these notes locally rather than waiting on London.
The dual denomination is the telling detail: five shillings sterling and six French francs simultaneously, reflecting Guernsey's practical reality as an island with genuine cross-Channel commercial ties. French francs circulated alongside sterling well into the twentieth century in normal trade.
Marquand served as HM Receiver-General; Bishop was the States Treasurer. Two signatories from distinct offices was an accountability measure, not ceremony.