Banknote Billet France 10 francs 1939

The 10 francs Minerve banknote dated 19 October 1939 belongs to one of the most iconic issues of the Banque de France during the interwar period. Attributed to series J, this banknote circulated in a particularly significant historical context, as it was issued at the very beginning of the Second World War, just a few weeks after France declared war on Germany.

The figure of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, the arts and military strategy, forms the central motif of this banknote. This iconographic choice is characteristic of the allegorical representations frequently used in French engraving of the period to embody republican and national values. The graphic composition reflects the typographic and artistic care typical of the productions of the Banque de France printing works during this period.

The face value of this banknote is 10 francs, a common denomination in the everyday economic life of France at the time. The paper format of this note, like all French fiduciary monetary production of the period, meets the technical standards of intaglio printing, ensuring both fineness of detail and resistance to counterfeiting.

The precise dating of 19 October 1939 allows collectors and numismatists to identify with accuracy the period of issue of this banknote within the series. Notes from this issue are today sought after for their historical interest, bearing witness to a period of profound upheaval for France and its monetary system. The state of preservation as well as the precision of the series are determining criteria in the evaluation of this type of collector's banknote.