Billet France 200 francs Charles Montesquieu, écrivain et philosophe français 1985 VF

The 200 francs Montesquieu banknote was issued by the Banque de France in 1983. The example presented here bears the date 1985 and belongs to series R.037.

This banknote pays tribute to Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, an 18th-century French writer and philosopher, best known for his major work The Spirit of the Laws, published in 1748, in which he theorised the separation of powers. His portrait features prominently on this banknote, reflecting the recognition of the French Republic towards one of the most influential figures in Western political and legal thought.

The banknote features an elaborate graphic composition, characteristic of Banque de France productions of that era, combining Montesquieu's portrait with iconographic elements related to his work and his time. The warm tones, dominated by ochres and browns, give this banknote a distinctive visual identity among French denominations of the period.

The face value of this banknote is 200 francs, making it one of the most significant denominations in circulation at the time, alongside the 500-franc notes. This type of banknote remained in circulation until the gradual replacement of the franc by the euro in 2002, after which franc banknotes lost their legal tender status.

From a numismatic perspective, series R.037 makes it possible to precisely identify the printing plate used for this example, a key factor for collectors wishing to build complete series or identify specific variants. This banknote thus stands as a direct testament to France's monetary and iconographic policy during the 1980s.

 

 

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