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50 Centimes
| Issuer | Chambre de Commerce de Constantine |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Centimes (0.50) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Green and blue guilloche underprint with an ornate floral border surrounds the central text. A heraldic shield vignette with laurel branches appears at the top centre beneath the issuer's name on a ribbon scroll, flanked by two circular green medallions bearing authorization and redeemability notices. The denomination CINQUANTE CENTIMES is printed in large black letterpress type at centre, with series designation SÉRIE B and a serial number at the lower portion, and signature lines for Le Président and Le Trésorier on either side. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE DE CONSTANTINE DÉLIBÉRATION DE LA CHAMBRE DU COMMERCE DU 1er Mai 1915 ÉCHANGEABLE CONTRE DES BILLETS DE LA BANQUE DE L'ALGÉRIE CINQUANTE CENTIMES SÉRIE B Le Président Le Trésorier |
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| Comments |
When the First World War drained metallic currency from circulation across France and its territories, local chambers of commerce were authorized to issue emergency fractional notes to fill the gap. Constantine's chamber was among the earliest in Algeria to act on this, with the Waton printing house in Saint-Étienne producing the series — a firm better known for commercial job printing than for banknote work, which shows in the relatively modest production values of the issue.
These small-denomination chambre notes circulated intensely and were handled hard. Survivors in any reasonable condition are notably fewer than the print runs suggest.