Catalog
50 Centimes / ½ Frange
| Issuer | Territoire de Koritza (Lieutenant Colonel Commandant du Territoire) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Plain rectangular note with a simple typeset layout on unadorned paper stock. The heading 'Territoire de Koritza.' appears at the top in bold serif lettering, followed by a decorative rule and the denomination 'Cinquante Centimes' in large bold type. Below, the issuing authority 'Le Lieutenant Colonel Commandant du Territoire' is typeset to the right, accompanied by a handwritten signature and an oval military cachet stamp at the lower left reading 'ARMÉE D'ORIENT — COMMANDEMENT MILITAIRE'. |
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| Reverse description | Plain typeset reverse with a simple ruled border framing the entire face. The Albanian district name 'Qarku i Korçës' arches across the upper portion in bold serif type, with the date 'Mars 1920' and a serial number printed in the centre field. The denomination 'Gjysmë Frange' appears in large bold type across the lower half, with the word 'Timbre' repeated at the lower left and lower right corners, indicating spaces intended for revenue or validation stamps. |
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| Comments |
Koritza — or Korçë, in southern Albania — was administered by France as a semi-autonomous protectorate zone between 1916 and 1920, one of several competing foreign administrations carving up Albanian territory in the wake of the First World War. This note was issued under French military authority, specifically under the commanding lieutenant colonel of the territory, rather than any civilian banking institution. The denomination itself betrays the awkward hybrid nature of the occupation: "½ Frange" is not standard French monetary orthography — "franc" being the correct term — suggesting local improvisation in the printing.
France withdrew from Koritza in 1920 as the Conference of Ambassadors began formalizing Albanian borders, rendering these notes obsolete almost immediately after issue.