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0,05 Franc
| Issuer | Government of Madagascar and Dependencies |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | The obverse reproduces a contemporary Madagascar postage stamp printed in dark green, enclosed within a decorative ruled border. The central vignette presents a rural agricultural scene with figures working in rice paddies against a landscape backdrop with buildings in the distance. The denomination '5c.' appears in a cartouche at the lower centre, with the initials 'R' and 'F' flanking the inscription 'POSTES' at the top, and the legend 'MADAGASCAR ET DEPENDANCES' running along the bottom margin. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed on plain cream-toned paper and carries a central vignette of a zebu (humped cattle), rendered in a coarse intaglio-style impression. The word 'Varistoventy' is inscribed vertically along the left side, while the denomination '0, 05 cent.' is printed vertically along the right margin. |
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| Comments |
Madagascar's 0,05 franc bon de caisse was part of an emergency fractional currency series introduced during World War One, when the global coin shortage hit French colonial territories hard. Metropolitan France was hoarding its own small change, and the colonies were left to improvise. These low-denomination bons de caisse were essentially IOUs issued by the colonial government to keep commerce moving at the market level.
The 1916 Madagascar fractional issues are notoriously fragile — thin stock, heavy everyday handling, and a tropical climate combined to destroy most of them. Survivors in any presentable state are genuinely uncommon.