Billet France 1 franc 1915 FF

This emergency note with a face value of 1 franc was issued by the Chambre de Commerce de Granville on 19 July 1915, in the midst of the First World War. It belongs to the category of necessity currency, also known as emergency notes, which proliferated in France during the conflict due to the shortage of metallic coinage caused by hoarding and the considerable military needs of the time.

These local issues were authorised by French Chambers of Commerce in order to offset the lack of liquidity in circulation and to maintain commercial trade at the local level. The Chambre de Commerce de Granville, located in the Manche department in Normandy, thus contributed to the economic effort by issuing its own payment instruments, recognised and accepted within its area of competence.

This type of emergency note now constitutes a valuable historical and documentary record of France's economic organisation during wartime. Notes issued by local Chambers of Commerce generally bear the name of the issuing body, the face value, the precise date of issue, as well as various legal statements guaranteeing their validity. The date of 19 July 1915 inscribed on this note places it precisely within the context of the first full year of the global conflict, a period during which many local institutions had to take similar measures to cope with the monetary crisis.

These Chamber of Commerce notes, issued between approximately 1914 and 1926, are the subject of specialised collecting within French numismatics, particularly in the field of notaphily, the discipline devoted to the study and collection of banknotes and related items. Each local issue presents characteristics specific to the region and the issuing institution, making them unique documentary pieces in French monetary history.

 

 

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