Catalog
500 Francs
| Issuer | French National Administration of the New Hebrides |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943 |
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| Currency | Franc (1921-1982) |
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| Obverse description | Black intaglio on green and pink underprint with value numerals rendered in yellow-gold. A Cross of Lorraine appears at top center, flanked by two palm branches, serving as the principal emblem of the Free French administration. The central field is occupied by the promissory text and denomination inscription within a plain border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | NH 500 Francs |
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| Comments |
The New Hebrides franc notes of 1943 were issued under the French National Administration — the Free French authority operating in the condominium — as a direct consequence of the Pacific War disrupting normal supply lines and currency flows from metropolitan France. The Vichy-aligned Banque de l'Indochine had previously dominated currency circulation in the region, and the Free French needed instruments that explicitly bypassed that institution's authority.
Pick 3A is scarce. The political conditions that created it also limited production volumes, and the condominium's small population meant demand was never high.