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5000 Francs - Treasury Not Issued
| Issuer | French Treasury |
|---|---|
| Year | 1945 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Franc (1795-1959) |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is dominated by an intricate teal and green guilloche underprint filling the entire field, with the numeral "5000" printed in large green figures at the left and right, and the word "FRANCS" in bold along the lower centre. A central oval guilloche cartouche frames the numeral "5000" in green. Serial numbers appear at the upper right and lower left, prefixed by the letter "X", with additional inscriptions "SÉRIE DE 1944 / CINQ MILLE FRANCS" flanking the central vignette on both sides. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in blue and mauve tones and composed entirely of fine guilloche lacework radiating outward from a central oval cartouche. The cartouche bears the bold inscription "FRANCE" in dark blue letterpress, encircled by the words "LIBERTÉ", "ÉGALITÉ", and "FRATERNITÉ" arranged around its border. Elaborate scrollwork corner ornaments frame the design, with no figurative vignette present. |
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| Comments |
Printed by Forbes Lithograph in Boston for use in liberated France, this note was never officially released into circulation. The French Treasury prepared several high-denomination issues in the United States during and immediately after the war, but the speed of monetary reorganization under the provisional government meant that some denominations became redundant before distribution could begin. The 5000 Franc denomination was particularly vulnerable — at that value, uncontrolled release risked accelerating the inflation already ravaging postwar French purchasing power.
Forbes Lithograph had limited prior experience with currency-grade security printing, which distinguishes this series from contemporaneous French issues handled by more established intaglio printers.