Banknote Billet France 100 francs 1968

Remarks:

Plusieurs épinglages, plis, tâches et salissures

The 100 francs Corneille banknote belongs to a series issued by the Banque de France from 1968 onwards. The example presented here bears the date of 2 January 1976 and corresponds to the alphabet X.921, which makes it possible to precisely identify its position within the successive print runs of this type.

This banknote pays tribute to Pierre Corneille (1606-1684), a major French playwright of the 17th century, regarded as one of the fathers of French classical tragedy. His portrait features prominently in the graphic composition of the note, accompanied by iconographic elements evoking his literary work and his era.

On the obverse, Corneille's face is depicted with great care, in a style characteristic of French banknotes of this period, combining fine engraving and subtle colour gradations. The reverse completes this presentation with allegorical and architectural motifs linked to the world of classical theatre and French culture of the Grand Siècle.

From a technical standpoint, this 100 francs banknote is the result of intaglio and offset printing techniques specific to Banque de France productions, ensuring rigorous graphic quality as well as integrated security features. The dominant colours of this series are distinguished by warm tones, blending ochres, browns and reds, characteristic of French fiduciary production of the 1970s.

The Corneille series was put into circulation to gradually replace older types of 100 franc banknotes, as part of the Banque de France's policy of regularly renewing its denominations. The alphabet X.921 specifies the numbering order of this example, an essential piece of information for collectors wishing to establish the traceability and relative rarity of a banknote within a given dated issue.