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500 Francs Duala
| Issuer | Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale |
|---|---|
| Year | 1921 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 500 Francs |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Intricate geometric and arabesque border design in green intaglio, composed of interlocking diamond and rectangular guilloche panels surrounding a central hexagonal blank reserve. Arabic text inscriptions appear in the upper panel and throughout the body of the note, with the black overprint "Duala" in italic script at centre. |
| Reverse lettering | Georges DUVAL . fecit. |
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| Comments |
The Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale, despite its name, also held the note-issuing privilege for French Equatorial Africa and French Cameroun — Duala being the commercial capital of the latter. This note circulating in Cameroun is a consequence of the post-WWI mandate arrangements, when France assumed administration of the former German Kamerun colony and extended the BAO's franchise accordingly.
Bellery-Desfontaines was primarily an illustrator and poster artist, better known for his Art Nouveau commercial work than for banknote design. His involvement here is unusual. The Florian brothers — Frédéric and Ernest-Théophile — handled engraving for multiple Banque de France productions in this period.