500 Francs - type 1831

The type 1831 500 Francs was the first major redesign of the Banque de France's highest circulating denomination after the upheaval of the July Revolution. Normand supplied the design and Galle — better known as a medallist and sculptor than a banknote engraver — handled the intaglio work, an unusual choice that reflects the period's blurred boundary between fine art commissions and currency production.

At 12,175,000 notes printed across just two years, the run was substantial. The watermark remained the sole security feature, as it had been since the Banque's earliest issues — a vulnerability that prompted persistent counterfeiting complaints throughout the July Monarchy period.