Banknote Billet France 100 francs 1908

Remarks:

Ples, épinglages, salissures

The 100 francs Luc Olivier Merson banknote issued in 1908 belongs to one of the most iconic series of the Banque de France from the early 20th century. This example comes from series C.417.

This banknote takes its name from Luc Olivier Merson (1846-1920), a French painter and illustrator, a renowned academician, who was entrusted with the artistic design of this type. His work is characterised by an elaborate allegorical composition, typical of the official graphic productions of this period, combining symbolic figures and decorative ornaments in the academic style fashionable during the Belle Époque.

The 100 francs banknote represented at the time a high-value denomination, corresponding to considerable purchasing power. It was produced by the workshops of the Banque de France, the institution responsible for fiduciary issuance on French territory. The graphic design incorporates security features in keeping with the manufacturing standards of the early century, including watermarks and high-precision typographic printing intended to combat counterfeiting.

This type of banknote was issued over several years, with different series and creation dates, making it an interesting object of study for collectors specialising in notaphily, the discipline dedicated to the collection and study of banknotes. The condition, the issue series, and the date appearing on each example are determining criteria in the valuation of these banknotes.

The 1908 100 francs Luc Olivier Merson banknote thus constitutes a direct testimony to the monetary and artistic history of France under the Third Republic, reflecting the aesthetic and technical standards of French fiduciary production of that era.