Banknotes from France (notgeld)
Many cities in France issued their own currency tokens (notgeld) to circulate alongside or in the place of usually hoarded coins. Following the economic and financial turmoil created both during and by the aftermath of WWI, the franc was devalued, and subsequently silver 50 centimes, 1 franc, and 2 Franc coins began to disappear from circulation fast, due to people hoarding them for their silver value. As a result, a coinage shortage occurred, and municipalities began issuing their own replacements starting midway through the First World War, and continuing into the 1920s. The notgeld issues had ended by 1931, by which point new Chambres de Commerce issues had become widely available and circulating. Most of those coins were made of low-value metals like zinc or aluminium and stamp coins were also widely made. French colonies where the Franc circulated also issued their own notgeld during the 1920s.
See also: France
- Aisne, Ardennes and Marne, Departments of
- Aisne, Department of › Fresnoy-le-Grand, Commune of
- Aisne, Department of › Grugies, Commune of
- Aisne, Department of › Guise, Commune of
- Aisne, Department of › Hauteville, Commune of
- Aisne, Department of › Saint-Quentin and Guise, Communes of
- Aisne, Department of › Saint-Quentin, Commune of
- Allier, Department of › Montluçon and Gannat, Communes of
- Allier, Department of › Moulins and Lapalisse, Communes of
- Alpes Maritimes, Department of › Nice, Commune of
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Department of
- Ardeche, Department of › Annonay, Commune of
- Ardeche, Department of › Aubenas, Commune of
- Ardennes, Department of › Charleville-Mézières, Commune of
- Ardennes, Department of › Sedan, Commune of
- Ardennes, Department of › Sedan, District of
- Ariège, Department of
- Ariège, Department of › Foix, Commune of
- Aube, Department of › Troyes, Commune of
- Aude, Department of › Carcassonne, Commune of
- Aude, Department of › Narbonne, Commune of
- Aveyron, Department of
- Bas-Rhin, Department of › Strasbourg, Commune of
- Bouches-du-Rhône, Department of › Marseille, Commune of
- Calvados, Department of › Caen and Honfleur, Communes of
- Calvados, Department of › Trouville-sur-Mer, Commune of
- Cantal, Department of › Aurillac, Commune of
- Centre-Val de Loire, Region of
- Charente-Maritime, Department of › La Rochelle, Commune of
- Charente-Maritime, Department of › Rochefort-sur-Mer, Commune of
- Charente, Department of › Angoulême, Commune of
- Charente, Department of › Cognac, Commune of
- Chateauroux, Commune of
- Cher, Department of › Bourges, Commune of
- Corrèze, Department of › Brive-la-Gaillarde, Commune of
- Corrèze, Department of
- Corrèze, Department of › Tulle and Ussel, Communes of
- Corrèze, Department of › Tulle, Commune of
- Côte-d'Or, Department of › Dijon, Commune of
- Côtes-d'Armor, Department of › Saint-Brieuc, Commune of
- Creuse, Department of
- Deux-Sévres, Department of
- Dordogne, Department of › Bergerac, Commune of
- Dordogne, Department of › Périgueux, Commune of
- Doubs, Department of › Besançon, Commune of
- Drôme, Department of › Valence, Commune of
- Essonne, Department of › Corbeil-Essones and Etampes, Communes of
- Eure-et-Loir, Department of
- Eure, Department of › Evreux, Commune of
- Finistère, Department of › Quimper and Brest, Communes of
- Gard, Department of › Alais, Commune of
- Gard, Department of › Nîmes, Commune of
- Gers, Department of
- Gironde, Department of › Bordeaux, Commune of
- Gironde, Department of › Libourne, Commune of
- Haut-Rhin, Department of › Colmar, Commune of
- Haut-Rhin, Department of › Mulhouse, Commune of
- Haute et Basse-Corse, Departments of › Ajaccio and Bastia, Communes of
- Haute-Garonne, Department of › Toulouse, Commune of
- Haute-Loire, Department of › Le Puy-en-Velay, Communes of
- Haute-Marne, Department of › Saint-Dizier, Commune of
- Haute-Saône, Department of › Gray and Vesoul, Communes of
- Haute-Saône, Department of › Lure, Commune of
- Haute-Savoie, Department of › Annecy, Commune of
- Haute-Vienne, Department of › Limoges, Commune of
- Hautes-Pyrénées, Department of › Tarbes, Commune of
- Hauts-de-Seine, Department of › Montrouge, Commune of
- Hérault, Department of › Béziers, Commune of
- Hérault, Department of › Cette, Commune of
- Hérault, Department of › Montpellier, Commune of
- Ille-et-Vilaine, Department of › Rennes and Saint-Malo, Communes of
- Indre-et-Loire, Department of › Tours, Commune of
- Isère, Department of › Grenoble, Commune of
- Isère, Department of › Vienne, Commune of
- Jura, Department of › Lons-le-Saunier, Commune of
- Landes, Department of
- Landes, Department of › Mont-de-Marsan, Commune of
- Loire et Cher, Department of › Blois, Commune of
- Loire-Atlantique, Department of › Nantes, Commune of
- Loire, Department of › Roanne, Commune of
- Loire, Department of › Saint-Étienne, Commune of
- Loiret and Loir-et-Cher, Departments of › Orléans and Blois, Communes of
- Loiret, Department of › Orléans, Commune of
- Lot-et-Garonne, Department of › Agen, Commune of
- Lot-et-Garonne, Department of › Mézin, Commune of
- Lot, Department of › Cahors, Commune of
- Lot, Department of
- Lozère, Department of › Mende, Commune of
- Maine-et-Loire, Department of › Angers, Commune of
- Maine-et-Loire, Department of › Cholet, Commune of
- Manche, Department of › Granville and Cherbourg, Communes of
- Manche, Department of › Granville, Commune of
- Marne, Department of
- Mayenne, Department of › Laval, Commune of
- Mayenne, Department of › Mayenne, Commune of
- Meurthe-et-Moselle, Department of › Nancy, Commune of
- Meuse, Department of › Bar-le-Duc, Commune of
- Meuse, Department of › Montmédy, Commune of
- Morbihan, Department of › Lorient, Commune of
- Moselle, Department of › Metz, Commune of
- Nièvre, Department of › Nevers, Commune of
- Nord and Pas-de-Calais, Departments of
- Nord, Aisne, and Oise, Departements of
- Nord, Department of › Avesnes and Solesmes, Communes of
- Nord, Department of › Cambrai, Commune of
- Nord, Department of › Croix and Wasquehal, Communes of
- Nord, Department of › Dunkerque, Commune of
- Nord, Department of › Lille, Commune of
- Nord, Department of › Roubaix and Tourcoing, Commune of
- Oise, Department of › Beauvais, Commune of
- Orne, Department of › Alençon and Flers, Communes of
- Paris, Department of › Paris, Commune of
- Pas-de-Calais, Department of › Arras, Commune of
- Pas-de-Calais, Department of › Béthune, Commune of
- Pas-de-Calais, Department of › Boulogne-sur-Mer, Commune of
- Pas-de-Calais, Department of › Calais, Commune of
- Pas-de-Calais, Department of › Lens, Commune of
- Pas-de-Calais, Department of › Saint-Omer, Commune of
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Region of
- Puy-de-Dôme, Departement of
- Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Department of › Bayonne, Commune of
- Pyrénées-Orientales, Department of › Perpignan, Commune of
- Pyrénées-Orientales, Department of
- Rhône, Department of › Lyon, Commune of
- Rhône, Department of › Tarare, Commune of
- Rhône, Department of › Villefranche-sur-Saône, Commune of
- Saône-et-Loire and Ain, Departments de › Mâcon and Bourg-en-Bresse, Communes of
- Saône-et-Loire, Department of › Chalon-sur-Saône, Autun and Louhans, Communes of
- Sarthe, Department of › Le Mans, Commune of
- Savoie, Department of › Chambéry, Commune of
- Seine-et-Marne, Department of › Melun, Commune of
- Seine-Maritime, Department of › Dieppe, Commune of
- Seine-Maritime, Department of › Elbeuf, Commune of
- Seine-Maritime, Department of › Fécamp, Commune of
- Seine-Maritime, Department of › Havre, Commune du
- Seine-Maritime, Department of › Rouen, Commune of
- Seine-Maritime, Department of › Tréport, Commune of
- Somme, Department of › Abbeville, Commune of
- Somme, Department of › Amiens, Commune of
- Somme, Department of › Péronne, Commune of
- Tarn-et-Garonne, Department of › Montauban, Commune of
- Tarn, Department of
- Territoire de Belfort › Belfort, Commune of
- Val-d'Oise, Department of › L'Isle-Adam, Commune of
- Var, Department of › Toulon, Commune of
- Vaucluse, Department of › Avignon, Commune of
- Vendée, Department of › La Roche-sur-Yon, Commune of
- Vienne, Department of › Poitiers, Commune of
- Vosges, Department of › Cornimont, Commune of
- Vosges, Department of › Épinal, Commune of
- Vosges, Department of › Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, Commune of
- Vosges, Department of
- Yonne, Department of › Auxerre, Commune of
- Yonne, Department of › Sens, Commune of
France › French notgeld › Aisne, Ardennes and Marne, Departments of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
50 Centimes - Départements de l'Aisne, des Ardennes and de la Marne 1916
Local banknote
85 × 51 mm
JP1418# 02- 1308, N# 362299
![1 Franc - Bon Régional des départements de l'Aisne [02], des Ardennes [08] and de la Marne [51] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aisne_ardennes_marne_notgeld/642d555b2b0c22.51929136-180.jpg)
![1 Franc - Bon Régional des départements de l'Aisne [02], des Ardennes [08] and de la Marne [51] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aisne_ardennes_marne_notgeld/642d555ba29330.92075474-180.jpg)
1 Franc - Bon Régional des départements de l'Aisne [02], des Ardennes [08] and de la Marne [51] 1916
Local banknote
90 × 60 mm
JP1418# 02 - 1309, N# 312652
![1 Franc - Bon Régional des départements de l'Aisne [02], des Ardennes [08] and de la Marne [51] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aisne_ardennes_marne_notgeld/642d41c98162b1.97775665-180.jpg)
![1 Franc - Bon Régional des départements de l'Aisne [02], des Ardennes [08] and de la Marne [51] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aisne_ardennes_marne_notgeld/642d41e77eb572.17476889-180.jpg)
1 Franc - Bon Régional des départements de l'Aisne [02], des Ardennes [08] and de la Marne [51] 1917
Local banknote
90 × 65 mm
JP1418# 02- 1203, N# 336687
France › French notgeld › Aisne, Department of › Fresnoy-le-Grand, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
France › French notgeld › Aisne, Department of › Grugies, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
France › French notgeld › Aisne, Department of › Guise, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
2 Francs - Flavigny-le-Petit (Guise - 02) 1917
Local banknote
100 × 70 mm
JP1418# 02- 894, N# 332150
France › French notgeld › Aisne, Department of › Hauteville, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
France › French notgeld › Aisne, Department of › Saint-Quentin and Guise, Communes of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
1 Franc - Regions de Saint-Quentin and de Guise 1916
Local banknote
88 × 60 mm
JP1418# p.41/42, N# 214132
France › French notgeld › Aisne, Department of › Saint-Quentin, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Saint-Quentin et de l'Aisne (02) 1925 (1914-1925)
Local banknote
74 × 50 mm
JP# 116- 01/02, N# 335934
France › French notgeld › Allier, Department of › Montluçon and Gannat, Communes of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
5 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) ND
Local banknote
62 × 36 mm
JP# 84- 66, N# 313546
5 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) ND
Local banknote
52 × 30 mm
JP# 84- 72, N# 313549
10 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Monluçon-Gannat (03) ND (1918)
Local banknote
62 × 36 mm
JP# 84- 67, N# 204795
25 centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) ND
Local banknote
62 × 36 mm
JP# 84- 68, N# 313547
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Monluçon-Gannat (03) 1918
Local banknote
JP# 84- 46/47, N# 340941
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) 1920
Local banknote
93 × 55 mm
JP# 84- 50/51, N# 346459
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) 1921
Local banknote
95 × 58 mm
JP# 84- 56/57, N# 313545
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) 1915
Local banknote
100 × 60 mm
JP# 84- 15/16/17, N# 313542
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) 1917
Local banknote
112 × 62 mm
JP# 84- 31/32, N# 313544
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) 1918
Local banknote
JP# 84- 42/43, N# 330004
2 Francs - Chambre de Commerce de Montluçon - Gannat (03) 1916
Local banknote
112 × 66 mm
JP# 84- 26/27, N# 313543
2 Francs - Chambre de Commerce de Monluçon-Gannat (03) 1917
Local banknote
112 × 66 mm
JP# 84- 33/34, N# 346462
France › French notgeld › Allier, Department of › Moulins and Lapalisse, Communes of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Moulins et Lapalisse (03) 1916
Local banknote
92 × 53 mm
JP# 86- 07/08, N# 313639
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Moulins et Lapalisse (03) 1916
Local banknote
92 × 60 mm
JP# 86- 04/05/06, N# 313637
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Moulins et Lapalisse (03) 1916
Local banknote
92 × 62 mm
JP# 86- 09/10, N# 313641
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Moulins et Lapalisse 1917
Local banknote
91 × 61 mm
JP# 86- 13/14, N# 336192
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Moulins et Lapalisse (03) 1921
Local banknote
93 × 61 mm
JP# 86- 24/25, N# 313642
France › French notgeld › Alpes Maritimes, Department of › Nice, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
25 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Nice et des Alpes-Maritimes (06) ND (1914-1925)
Local banknote
83 × 44 mm
JP# 91- 16/17/18/19, N# 335941
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Nice et des Alpes-Maritimes (06) 1917
Local banknote
90 × 56 mm
JP# 91- 04, N# 313773
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Nice et des Alpes-Maritimes (06) 1917
Local banknote
90 × 56 mm
JP# 91- 06, N# 335792
50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Nice et des Alpes-Maritimes (06) 1920
Local banknote
80 × 55 mm
JP# 91- 09/10/14, N# 210276
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Nice et des Alpes-Maritimes (06) 1917
Local banknote
118 × 68 mm
JP# 91- 05, N# 313776
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Nice et des Alpes Maritimes (06) 1917
Local banknote
105 × 68 mm
JP# 91- 7/8, N# 299761
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce de Nice et des Alpes-Maritimes (06) 1920
Local banknote
94 × 62 mm
JP# 91- 11/12/13/15, N# 313777
France › French notgeld › Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Department of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
50 Centimes - Chambre de commerce des Basses Alpes (04) 1917
Local banknote
82 × 55 mm
JP# 20- 01, N# 359771
1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce des Basses-Alpes (04) 1917
Local banknote
95 × 63 mm
JP# 20 - 2, N# 299750
France › French notgeld › Ardeche, Department of › Annonay, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
![50 Centimes - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/641f5cb88ccc15.40575845-180.jpg)
![50 Centimes - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/641f5cb91ab035.32380938-180.jpg)
![50 Centimes - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/642210f62a04b5.83872125-180.jpg)
![50 Centimes - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/642210f6af8836.76755058-180.jpg)
50 Centimes - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] 1917-1921
Local banknote
JP# 11- 09/10/11/15/16/17/21/23, N# 243899
![1 Franc - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/6422cbe3006c08.75946879-180.jpg)
![1 Franc - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/6422cbe828a549.85676778-180.jpg)
![1 Franc - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/64287012d866f0.40762776-180.jpg)
![1 Franc - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/annonay_notgeld/642870137bee61.87419198-180.jpg)
1 Franc - Chambre de commerce d'Annonay [07] 1917-1921
Local banknote
JP# 11- 12/13/14/18/19/20/22/24, N# 244065
France › French notgeld › Ardeche, Department of › Aubenas, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
![50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce d'Aubenas [07] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aubenas_notgeld/642609c99820e0.47260659-180.jpg)
![50 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce d'Aubenas [07] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aubenas_notgeld/642609cbee6853.83577816-180.jpg)
![1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce d'Aubenas [07] – obverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aubenas_notgeld/64297ddacbb0f5.94997676-180.jpg)
![1 Franc - Chambre de Commerce d'Aubenas [07] – reverse](https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/aubenas_notgeld/64297de0801dd5.65219535-180.jpg)
France › French notgeld › Ardennes, Department of › Charleville-Mézières, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
25 centimes - Syndicat d'Emission de Bons de Caisse de Charleville-Mézières (08) 1916
Local banknote
80 × 50 mm
JP1418# –, N# 283753
1 Franc - Syndicat d'Emission de Bons de Caisse de Charleville-Mézières (08) 1916
Local banknote
90 × 60 mm
JP1418# 08- nr, N# 336628
France › French notgeld › Ardennes, Department of › Sedan, Commune of • Franc (1870-1940)
100 Centimes = 1 Franc
10 Centimes - Chambre de Commerce de Sedan (08) 1915
Local banknote
84 × 52 mm
JP# 117- 02, N# 314453
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