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500 Francs
| Issuer | Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer |
|---|---|
| Year | 1947-1949 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 500 Francs |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Multicolor print centred on a vignette of bullock carts transporting sugar cane through a tropical landscape. A black GUYANE overprint appears at upper left and lower right. At the bottom, a yellow cartouche carries the full text of Article 139 of the Penal Code as the statutory counterfeit warning. |
| Reverse lettering | GUYANE CAISSE CENTRALE DE LA FRANCE D`OUTRE-MER 500 L`ARTICLE 139 DU CODE PÉNAL PUNIT DES TRAVAUX FORCÉ CEUX QUI AURONT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIÉ LES BILLETS DE BANQUE AUTORISE PAR LA LOI. C. SERVEAU FEC. | HOURRIEZ SC. GUYANE (Translation: Guiana Central Fund of Overseas France Article 139 of the Penal Code punishes forced labour those who have counterfeited or falsified banknotes authorized by Law. Five Hundred Francs Guiana) |
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| Comments |
The Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer was established in 1944 specifically to manage currency in French overseas territories recovering from wartime occupation and economic disruption. This 500 Francs note, printed at the Banque de France workshops in Paris, circulated across a remarkably broad geography — the same issue served multiple territories simultaneously, with overprints or local controls distinguishing distribution rather than separate printings.
Clément Serveau was one of the more accomplished French graphic artists working in banknote design during this period, and Beltrand's engraving work on the obverse carries the fine-line quality the Banque de France ateliers were known for. Hourriez handled the reverse plate.