France - Old Francs

This series of notes, printed between 1933 and 1958, is the most beautiful printed by the Banque de France. They include wonderful notes with allegorical figures, rural French scenes and important figures of science, industry and politics. Clément Serveau is the most famous and prolific artist and best represents this period.

Banque de France

Formed by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800, the Banque de France was been France's central bank for more than two centuries. It provides monetary strategy, financial steadiness and client services, including printing and distributing banknotes, along with supporting regional banks across France and her territories. Since 1999, Bank of France has been a member of the Eurosystem of central banks for members of the European Union.

F.2.29 face
F.2.29 face
F.2.29 (
  • P-70
) 5 Francs Blue
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/2/1915
  • 125 x 80mm
  • Sig 2
  • Astrological sign "Leo" for July

  • Watermark: Woman's head in profile, 'Banque de France' text from back of note

F.3.12 face
F.3.12 face
F.3.12 (
  • P-72d
) 5 Francs Violet
Rose, Purple. Allegory of France; Dock worker carrying a sack up a ladder
  • Printer: BdF
  • 5/8/1928
  • 125 x 80mm
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Soldier from the Marseillaise de Rude


F.4.15 face
F.4.15 face
F.4.15 (
  • P-83
) 5 Francs Violet
Rose, Purple. Allegory of France; Dock worker carrying a sack up a ladder
  • Printer: BdF
  • 11/28/1940
  • 125 x 80mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Soldier from the Marseillaise de Rude


F.5.7 face
F.5.7 face
F.5.7 (
  • P-98b
) 5 Francs Shepherd
Pyrenean shepherd and woman of Agenais
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/30/1947
  • 100 x 65mm
  • Sig 5
  • This is the smallest banknote issued by Banque de France

  • Watermark: Bust of Bernard Palissy
F.6.11 face
F.6.11 face
F.6.11 (
  • P-73d
) 10 Francs Minerva
Blue. Effigy of the goddess Minerva; Peasant woman resting
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/23/1926
  • 138 x 88mm
  • Sig 3

  • Watermark: Mercury
F.7.1 face
F.7.1 face
F.7.1 (
  • P-84
) 10 Francs Minerva
Blue. Effigy of the goddess Minerva; Peasant woman resting
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/2/1939
  • 138 x 88mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Mercury

F.8.19 face
F.8.19 face
F.8.19 (
  • P-99f
) 10 Francs Miner
Miner; Peasant woman and child
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/4/1947
  • 118 x 75mm
  • Sig 5

  • Watermark: Joan of Arc
F.11.01 face
F.11.01 face
F.11.01 (
  • P-74
) 20 Francs Bayard
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1916
  • 160 x 95mm
  • Denomination in Blue

  • Watermark: Bayard
F.12.12 face
F.12.12 face
F.12.12 (
  • P-92b
) 20 Francs Science and Labor
Allegories of Science and Labor; Chemist looking through microscope
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/20/1941
  • 160 x 97mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Bust of woman in front of flag
F.13.14 face
F.13.14 face
F.13.14 (
  • P-100c
) 20 Francs Fisherman
Fisherman and view of the Port de Concarneau; Women and child of Brittany
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/10/1949
  • 130 x 80mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Anne de Bretagne
F.14.37 face
F.14.37 face
F.14.37 (
  • P-64g
) 50 Francs Blue and Rose
Allegories of Industry and Agriculture
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/12/1924
  • 178 x 123mm

  • Watermark: Woman's Head
F.15.2 face
F.15.2 face
F.15.2 (
  • P-77a
) 50 Francs Luc-Olivier Merson
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1927
  • 170 x 123mm
  • Luc-Olivier Merson name in margin

  • Watermark: Busts of two women
F.16.2 face
F.16.2 face
F.16.2 (
  • P-80a
) 50 Francs Luc-Olivier Merson
Child Mercury, allegories of Science and Labor
  • Printer: BdF
  • 8/13/1931
  • 170 x 123mm
  • Sig 4
  • Starting with this note in 1930, BdF no longer mentions the artist's name in the margin of its banknotes.

  • Watermark: Busts of two women

F.18.38 face
F.18.38 face
F.18.38 (
  • P-85b
) 50 Francs Cérès
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/8/1940
  • 155 x 90mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Bust of Ceres

F.19.18 face
F.19.18 face
F.19.18 (
  • P-93
) 50 Francs Jacques Coeur
Jacques Coeur; Woman of Berry at the Palais de Bourges
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/8/1942
  • 145 x 90mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Berrichone wearing a hat
F.20.17 face
F.20.17 face
F.20.17 (
  • P-127c
) 50 Francs Le Verrier
Astronomer Urbain Le Verrier; Neptune
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/1/1951
  • 120 x 78mm
  • Sig 6

  • Watermark: Head of Neptune
F.24.16 face
F.24.16 face
F.24.16 (
  • P-78c
) 100 Francs Luc Olivier Merson
Allegories of women and children; Labor and Fortune
  • Printer: BdF
  • 2/25/1937
  • 182 x 112mm
  • Sig 7
  • 5-Digit Series Number, Larger Cartouche

  • Watermark: Ceres and Mercury in profile

F.25.28 face
F.25.28 face
F.25.28 (
  • P-86b
) 100 Francs Luc Olivier Merson
Allegories of women and children; Labor and Fortune
  • Printer: BdF
  • 8/11/1938
  • 182 x 112mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Ceres and Mercury in profile


F.26.69 face
F.26.69 face
F.26.69 (
  • P-94
) 100 Francs Sully
La France, Maurice de Sully; Sully-sur-Loire Castle
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/2/1942
  • 178 x 90mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Ceres and Mercury in profile
F.27.4 face
F.27.4 face
F.27.4 (
  • P-101a
) 100 Francs Descartes
René Descartes; Bronze Winged Victory
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/6/1944
  • 160 x 92mm
  • Sig 4

  • Watermark: Head in profile
F.28.37 face
F.28.37 face
F.28.37 (
  • P-128d
) 100 Francs Young Farmer with Oxen
Young farmer with oxen; Boating family
  • Printer: BdF
  • 6/4/1953
  • 130 x 85mm
  • Sig 8

  • Watermark: Bust of young man
F.29.1 face
F.29.1 face
F.29.1 (
  • P-87a
) 300 Francs Ceres and Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/6/1938
  • 138 x 88mm
  • Sig 4
  • This is the only BdF note with no printed date

  • Watermark: Profile of Mercury
F.30.34 face
F.30.34 face
F.30.34 (
  • P-66l
) 500 Francs Bleu et Rose
Hercules and Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/29/1931
  • 242 x 140mm
  • Sig 9
  • Same design as 500F Rose et Bleu type of 1842

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: 500F/Cinq cents Fr/BANQUE DE FRANCE
  • Barré INV
  • Barré SC
    • (F)

F.32.41 face
F.32.41 face
F.32.41 (
  • P-95b
) 500 Francs Peace
Allegory of Peace with olive branch, Agriculture
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/1/1942
  • 195 x 115mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: Profile of woman

F.34.5 face
F.34.5 face
F.34.5 (
  • P-129a
) 500 Francs Chateaubriand
Author François-René Chateaubriand with muses; Titles of many of his books on face and back
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/28/1946
  • 141 x 92mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: Profile of a woman
F.35.3 face
F.35.3 face
F.35.3 (
  • P-133a
) 500 Francs Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo and the Pantheon where he is buried; Place des Vosges
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/2/1954
  • 140 x 75mm
  • Sig 11
  • New series of smaller notes from BdF

  • Watermark: Bust of Victor Hugo
F.38.46 face
F.38.46 face
F.38.46 (
  • P-90c
) 1000 Francs Ceres and Mercury
Allegory of Banque de France; François Arago, and Louis Pasteur
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/18/1940
  • 235 x 130mm
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Profiles of Ceres and Mercury

F.39.3 face
F.39.3 face
F.39.3 (
  • P-96a
) 1000 Francs Commerce and Industry
Allegories of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/19/1940
  • 195 x 118mm
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Woman with crown of flowers

F.40.6 face
F.40.6 face
F.40.6 (
  • P-102
) 1000 Francs Demeter
Statue of Demeter holding Hercules as a child; Bronze of Mercury
  • Printer: BdF
  • 9/3/1942
  • 190 x 115mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: Hermes

F.41.13 face
F.41.13 face
F.41.13 (
  • P-130a
) 1000 Francs Blue Clément Serveau
Allegories of the Goddess Minerva and Hercules
  • Printer: BdF
  • 4/25/1946
  • 172 x 95mm
  • Sig 10

  • Watermark: French warrior, Venus
F.42.22 face
F.42.22 face
F.42.22 (
  • P-134a
) 1000 Francs Richelieu
Richelieu at the Palais Royal
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/4/1956
  • 150 x 80mm
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Richelieu
F.43.1 face
F.43.1 face
F.43.1 (
  • P-76
) 5000 Francs Flameng
Allegories symbolizing the strength of the Banque de France, Research, Labor and Fortune
  • Printer: BdF
  • 1/26/1918
  • 256 x 128mm
  • Sig 13

  • Counterfoil
  • Watermark: Head of woman in profile (3 times)
F.46.8 face
F.46.8 face
F.46.8 (
  • P-97c
) 5000 Francs Victoire
Woman wearing olive wreath holding statue of winged Victory
  • Printer: BdF
  • 7/20/1939
  • 230 x 125mm
  • Taille Douce (recto seulement) sur Typographie
  • Sig 12

  • Watermark: Head of woman and branch


F.47.59 face
F.47.59 face
F.47.59 (
  • P-103e
) 5000 Francs Empire Française
France with natives of the French community, Ports of the Basque coast, France and Rabat, Morocco
  • Printer: BdF
  • 3/20/1947
  • 208 x 115mm
  • Sig 15

  • Watermark: Profiles of French, African and Asian women

F.50.77 face
F.50.77 face
F.50.77 (
  • P-132d
) 10,000 Francs Education
  • Printer: BdF
  • 12/1/1955
  • 221 x 120mm
  • Sig 11

  • Watermark: Allegorical Bust

F.51.13 face
F.51.13 face
F.51.13 (
  • P-136b
) 10,000 Francs Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte, Arc de Triomphe; Les Invalides
  • Printer: BdF
  • 10/2/1958
  • 172 x 92mm
  • Sig 14

  • Watermark: Bonaparte

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