Banknote Billet France 2 francs 1915

Remarks:

6 épinglages, plis et salissures

This 2 franc note was issued by the Chambre de Commerce de Melun on 15 October 1915, in the midst of the First World War. It bears the serial number 004688.

During the conflict of 1914-1918, the shortage of metallic currency, due in particular to hoarding and the requisitioning of metals for the war effort, led many French chambers of commerce to issue their own banknotes and emergency currency. These local issues were intended to compensate for the lack of currency in circulation and to facilitate everyday commercial transactions. The Chambre de Commerce de Melun, an institution representing the economic interests of the Seine-et-Marne district, was among those organisations that took on this temporary monetary responsibility.

These emergency notes issued by French chambers of commerce during this period generally feature information relating to the issuing body, the face value, and the date of issue. They also include security features typical of the era, such as serial numbers, signatures and sometimes official stamps, guaranteeing their authenticity and legal validity within their local circulation.

The face value of 2 francs represented an intermediate denomination, meeting the needs of everyday transactions at the time. These issues were strictly regulated and were in theory required to be redeemed in legal tender at the end of their validity period.

Today, these emergency notes constitute precious historical and numismatic testimonies of the French wartime economy. They document the pragmatic solutions adopted locally in response to the monetary disruptions caused by the First World War. The number 004688 makes it possible to precisely identify this example within the series issued by the Chambre de Commerce de Melun.