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500 Francs - Caisse des comptes courants
| Issuer | Banque de France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1800 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Typeset note printed in black on cream paper, dominated by a large central oval cartouche enclosing the denomination inscription 'cinq cents francs' in bold letterpress, above the payability clause 'Especes, à vue, au porteur' and a handwritten date line for Paris. Small classical portrait vignettes — likely allegorical female heads — appear at each corner of the oval border, with the denomination '500f.' repeated in a lower panel flanked by additional vignettes. Elaborate calligraphic scrollwork fills the margins, and handwritten signatures of the Directeur Général and the régents appear across the lower portion of the face. |
|---|---|
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| Protection description | Pink-red 'cinq cents' lettering printed as a security underprint or watermark element |
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| Comments |
The Caisse des comptes courants was one of several short-lived Parisian clearinghouses that briefly issued paper money before being absorbed into the newly chartered Banque de France in 1800 — this note effectively bridges those two institutions, issued under the old name but within weeks of the merger. Firmin Didot, better known as a typographer and punchcutter, brought an unusual typographic precision to the design; the lettering is more considered than on most contemporary French paper.
At over twelve million printed, the run was substantial for the period. The watermark remains the sole security measure.