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50 Centimes - Chambre de commerce d'Angoulème [16]
| Issuer | Chambre de Commerce d'Angoulême |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Franc (1795-1959) |
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| Obverse description | Printed in dark blue-green ink over a salmon-pink guilloche underprint, the obverse centres the denomination 50 CENTIMES in large bold letterpress type at mid-field, flanked by caduceus vignettes. The municipal coat of arms of Angoulême, framed by laurel branches and a ribbon inscribed FORTITUDO MEA CIVIUM FIDES, occupies the top centre, with the series designation 1ère Série in circular cartouches at each upper corner. Signature lines for Le Trésorier and Le Président appear above the emission date, with the denomination 0,50 repeated in circular cartouches at the lower corners and the serial number panel at bottom centre above the printer's imprint. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Protection type | Watermark |
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| Comments |
French chambers of commerce were granted emergency authority to issue small-denomination notes in 1914 and 1915 as metal coins vanished almost immediately into hoarding once war broke out. Angoulême's chamber was among the earliest to act, and having Keller frères — a local printing house — produce the notes in-house was both practical and faster than contracting with Paris.
The watermark is the principal security element; local emergency issues of this kind were frequently counterfeited, and some Charente-region chambers reported forgery problems within months of their first issues appearing in trade.