Banknote Billet Djibouti 10 francs 1946

This 10 franc banknote was issued in 1946 for the territory of Djibouti, then known as French Somaliland. It is a specimen, meaning a copy produced for reference or official presentation purposes, intended for banking institutions and monetary authorities, and not for general circulation. This characteristic makes it a particularly rare document of notable numismatic interest.

The mention of Série O.00 is typical of specimens from the French colonial era, where serial numbers were replaced by zeros in order to clearly distinguish these copies from banknotes intended for circulation. This practice was common among issues carried out by the Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer or similar institutions overseeing French overseas territories during this period.

The historical context of this banknote is significant: issued in 1946, it corresponds to the immediate post-war period, a time of monetary and administrative reorganisation for French overseas territories. The CFS franc (Côte française des Somalis) was then the official currency of this territory in the Horn of Africa, attached to France.

Specimen banknotes from this era and geographical region are today highly sought-after collectibles, particularly due to the small number of surviving examples and their documentary value for French monetary and colonial history. This banknote also illustrates the monetary issuance practices of French overseas territories during the period of the Fourth Republic, inaugurated precisely in 1946.