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1 Franc Monaco essai brun
| Issuer | Principauté de Monaco |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Franc |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | PRINCIPAUTÉ DE MONACO Délibération du 16 mars 1920 Décision souveraine du 20 mars 1920 UN 1 FRANC Le Ministre d'Etat R. le Bourdon Le Trésorier Général des Finances A.Noghès A PRÉSENTER AU REMBOURSEMENT A LA TRESORERIE GENERALE DES FINANCES AVANT LE 31 DÉCEMBRE 1922 NON REMBOURSABLE (en travers) |
| Reverse description | A floral guilloche border frames the reverse, with the numeral value repeated in each of the four corners within circular cartouches. To the left, a ribbon-decorated shield stands beside a tree, while the central vignette presents a panoramic view of the Monégasque coastline and the Rock of Monaco beneath an overhanging branch. A crowned medallion bearing the denomination is positioned at centre. |
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| Comments |
Monaco issued its own small-denomination paper currency during and after the First World War largely because of a chronic shortage of French fractional coinage in circulation — a problem common across Western Europe at the time. This brown essai, one of several color trials produced for the 1 Franc type, was printed locally by Veuve A. Chêne rather than contracted to a major French security printer, which itself reflects Monaco's limited wartime options. Color essays of this series appear in brown, violet, and blue variants, printed on watermarked paper from the same plates used for circulating production.
Albert Berthe's engraving credit is unusually prominent for a note of this scale and origin.