1000 Francs

Belgium's liberation in late 1944 triggered an immediate monetary crisis. The wartime occupation had left the country awash in inflated currency, and the government-in-exile returned with urgent plans to stabilize the franc. This 1000-franc note was part of that stabilization effort, issued under tight controls as Belgium attempted to distinguish legitimate holdings from currency accumulated through collaboration or black-market activity. The October 1944 currency exchange — which briefly froze accounts and forced registration of large holdings — gave notes of this denomination particular political sensitivity.

Three signature combinations appear across the series, reflecting successive changes in bank leadership between 1944 and 1948.