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1 Franc
| Issuer | Government of Madagascar and Dependencies |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in dark green on plain paper and presents an engraved vignette of a zebu — the traditional humped cattle of Madagascar — shown in profile facing left, rendered in a naturalistic etching style. The Malagasy denomination 'Iraimbilanja' is inscribed vertically along the left margin, while '1 franc' appears vertically along the right margin. |
| Reverse lettering | Iraimbilanja 1 franc |
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| Comments |
Madagascar was under French colonial administration, and the island's monetary supply during the First World War was severely disrupted by the near-impossibility of shipping currency from metropolitan France. These emergency fractional notes were authorized by local decree to substitute for small coins that had effectively vanished from circulation — hoarded by a population with no faith that supply would recover.
The "and Dependencies" designation encompassed the Comoro Islands, which shared the currency arrangement. Pick 20 belongs to a small issue that was always intended as a stopgap, and surviving examples show heavy use consistent with notes that circulated until they fell apart.