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50 Centimes
| Issuer | Empire Chérifien |
|---|---|
| Year | 1944 |
| Type | Emergency banknote |
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| Obverse description | Printed entirely in red on cream paper, this small-format note is arranged in a straightforward letterpress layout with bold denomination numerals '50c' at both left and right margins flanking the central legend 'CINQUANTE CENTIMES'. The issuing authority decree 'DAHIR DU 5 AVRIL 1944 / 1363' is inscribed at the top, while the counterfeiting penalty notice 'LE CONTREFACTEUR EST PUNI DES TRAVAUX FORCES' with its Arabic equivalent occupies the lower register. A decorative guilloche border frames the entire face, with the Moroccan star device and bilingual Arabic text providing additional visual structure. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Printed in red on cream paper, the reverse carries a central vignette of the main gate of the Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat, rendered in fine line engraving with flanking towers and surrounding architectural detail. The bilingual authority legend 'EMPIRE CHERIFIEN / PROTECTORAT DE LA REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE' appears at the upper centre, with the denomination '50c' at upper right and repeated in circular cartouches at the corners. Arabic text occupies the lower register, and the designer's name 'L. SCHULTZ' is present at the lower left. |
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| Comments |
The Empire Chérifien notes of 1944 were emergency issues produced under the French Protectorate administration during the Allied occupation period, when metal coinage had effectively disappeared from circulation across North Africa. The 50 Centimes (Pick 41) belongs to a fractional series that filled the void left by hoarded and melted coins — a chronic problem across the Maghreb throughout the war years.
At 40 × 30 mm, this is among the smallest paper money issued under the Moroccan protectorate. Notes of this series are frequently found with handling damage; their pocket-sized format and low denomination meant they circulated hard before being discarded.