Billet France 50 centimes 1916 UNC

This 50 centimes note was issued in 1916 by the Chambre de Commerce de Chalon-sur-Saône, Autun & Louhans, in the context of the First World War. During this period, the shortage of metallic coinage, resulting from the considerable demands of the war effort, forced many French chambers of commerce to issue their own emergency notes and currency in order to compensate for the lack of money in circulation.

This type of paper money, commonly referred to as emergency currency or war money, was produced on a local and regional scale to meet the needs of everyday transactions. The Chamber of Commerce grouping the cities of Chalon-sur-Saône, Autun and Louhans, all located in the department of Saône-et-Loire, thus assumed a temporary monetary responsibility delegated by the central authorities.

The presented example bears the mention « Annulé » (Cancelled), meaning it was withdrawn from circulation and officially invalidated. This cancellation procedure was applied to notes withdrawn from monetary circulation, either by perforation or by the application of a stamp or textual overprint. A cancelled note thus attests to its passage through official withdrawal channels and constitutes a direct testimony to the administrative monetary management practices of the era.

Weighing 1 gram, this note illustrates the lightness characteristic of the paper materials used for these emergency issues. It now represents a reference document for the study of French numismatics of the First World War, bearing witness to the local economic and monetary adaptations imposed by the conflict. The issues of the Chambre de Commerce de Chalon-sur-Saône, Autun & Louhans are listed and recognised by specialist catalogues dedicated to French emergency coins and notes.

 

 

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