The Banque de Madagascar et des Comores was a transitional institution — it replaced the Banque de Madagascar in 1950 following the administrative separation of the Comoro Islands as a distinct French territory, and this high-denomination note was issued specifically to serve that expanded monetary zone. Serveau designed several of the French colonial series of this period, with engraving split between Marliat and Munier on one side and Baudier on the other — a division of labor typical of the Banque de France's Chamalières atelier, where high-value plates were often shared across engravers to manage workload.
The issuing authority was dissolved in 1960 when Madagascar moved toward independence, making the 1950–1955 window for this note quite narrow.
The Banque de Madagascar et des Comores was a transitional institution — it replaced the Banque de Madagascar in 1950 following the administrative separation of the Comoro Islands as a distinct French territory, and this high-denomination note was issued specifically to serve that expanded monetary zone. Serveau designed several of the French colonial series of this period, with engraving split between Marliat and Munier on one side and Baudier on the other — a division of labor typical of the Banque de France's Chamalières atelier, where high-value plates were often shared across engravers to manage workload.
The issuing authority was dissolved in 1960 when Madagascar moved toward independence, making the 1950–1955 window for this note quite narrow.