Banknotes from France
The Carolingian dynasty founded a unified currency facilitating the development of trade in Europe. The Carolingian pound worth 20 Sols and therefore 240 silver Deniers, is the pillar of the monetary system that will last until the French revolution. But from the 9th century, the Carolingian Empire was subject to internal and external pressures that favored the emergence of local feudal powers. Each lordship took the opportunity to mint coins, causing a certain monetary disorder for several centuries. The accession to power of Hugh Capet marked a turning point. He and his successors Louis VI, Philip Augustus and Saint Louis, imposed the royal coinage, gradually buying back the monetary rights of the feudal lords. In 1641, Louis XIII created the Louis d'Or and reintroduced the silver Ecu and the copper Liard. After 1789, coinage did not escape the revolutionary phenomenon: in 1792, coins bearing the effigy of Louis XVI were replaced by the Sol aux Balances. Then the Franc reappears (the first "Franc à Cheval" and "Franc à Pied" were minted from the 14th century), with a fixed weight and decimal subdivisions. Napoleon then introduced the gold 40F and 20F and their subdivisions, all types that would go through the restoration and revolutions until the First World War. In the interwar period, in a context of general collapse of the economy, the Franc was devalued several times. In 1960, De Gaulle created the New Franc as part of European integration and its new monetary system. Finally, the Euro replaced the Franc on July 1st, 2002.
Wikidata: Q142
See also: French notgeld, French colonies, France (feudal), Unified Carolingian Empire, Frankish Kingdom
France • Livre tournois (987-1795)
3 Deniers = 1 Liard = ½ Double • 12 Deniers = 1 Sol (Sou) • 20 Sols (Sous) = 2 Testons = 1 Livre • 1 Livre and 4 Deniers = 1 Franc
10 Sous (assignat de...) 1792-1793
Standard banknote
76 × 68 mm
P# A53, P# A64, P# A70, Lafaurie# 148/159/165, N# 211788
5 Livres 1791-1792
Standard banknote
96 × 63 mm
P# A42 / A49 / A50 / A57 / A60 / A61, Lafaurie# 137/144/145/152/155/156, N# 201603
10 livres Tournois (assignat...) Banque Royale 1720
Standard banknote
148 × 85 mm
Lafaurie# 93, N# 328583
10 livres (assignat de...) 1791-1792
Standard banknote
112 × 80 mm
P# A51 / A66, Lafaurie# 146/161, N# 211789
25 Livres - assignat de ... 1791-1792
Standard banknote
130 × 73 mm
P# A52 / A67, Lafaurie# 147/162, N# 214373
50 Livres (assignat de ...) 1790-1792
Standard banknote
191 × 103 mm
P# A34 / A43 / A58 / A62, Lafaurie# 129/138/153/157, N# 214296
60 Livres (Assignat) 1790-1791
Standard banknote
191 × 102 mm
P# A35, P# A44, Lafaurie# 130, Lafaurie# 139, N# 356179
100 Livres (Assignat - National Domain) 1791
Standard banknote
191 × 103 mm
P# A45, Lafaurie# 140, N# 328505
125 Livres (assignat de ...) 7 Vendimaire l'an II de la République. 1793
Standard banknote
156 × 91 mm
P# A74, Lafaurie# 169, N# 328506
France • Franc (1795-1959)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
5 Francs - Blue, denomination black, type 1871 1871-1874
Standard banknote
125 × 80 mm
P# 60, Fay# 01, N# 203158
5 Francs - blue, black denomination (type 1871 overloaded) 1873
Standard banknote
125 × 80 mm
P# 60, Fay# 01ter, N# 204371
5 Francs - Blue (type 1905, inverted lion) 1912-1916
Standard banknote
128 × 80 mm
P# 70, Fay# 02bis, N# 206650
10 francs Minerve (type 1915 modifié) 1939-1942
Standard banknote
138 × 88 mm
P# 84, Fay# 07, N# 206551
10 Francs - Allied Military Currency 1944
Standard banknote
78 × 67 mm
P# 116, Fay# VF.18, N# 206788
20 Francs - type 1871, dates érronées 1873
Standard banknote
148 × 98 mm
Fay# A46bis, P# 55, N# 208596
20 Francs "Travail et Science" (type 1940) 1939-1942
Standard banknote
160 × 97 mm
P# 92, Fay# 12, N# 206542
25 francs (assignat de...) Promesse de mandat territorial 1796
Standard banknote
225 × 86 mm
P# A83 (à et b), Lafaurie# 196/200, N# 328508
25 Francs - type 1870, Clermont-Ferrand 1870
Standard banknote
148 × 98 mm
Fay# A44, P# 56, N# 208587
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