Banknote Billet France 20 francs 1916

Remarks:

1 Plis et 2 épinglages

Filigrane - Émission Collective - Annulé par perforation

This emergency banknote with a face value of 20 francs was issued in 1916 by the Chamber of Commerce of Douai and the Carvin Region, in the context of the First World War. During this conflict, a large part of northern France was under German occupation, which caused a severe shortage of official fiduciary currency. To address this shortage, several chambers of commerce and local authorities issued emergency notes intended to ensure the continuity of economic exchanges in unoccupied or liberated territories.

This note belongs to the 1st series, letter F, which allows it to be precisely identified within the issue and its production chronology to be established. The mention "Annulé" (Cancelled) affixed to this specimen indicates that it was withdrawn from circulation and officially invalidated by the issuing authority, following a standard procedure consisting of perforating, stamping or overprinting the note to prevent any further monetary use. These cancelled specimens are of particular interest to collectors and historians, as they directly bear witness to the administrative mechanisms for withdrawing emergency issues.

This type of regional emergency banknote constitutes a prime historical document, reflecting the economic and logistical difficulties encountered in northern France during the Great War. The Douai and Carvin region, an important mining and industrial area, was particularly affected by the upheavals of the conflict, which gives this issue a significant historical and geographical dimension.

The note has a weight of 1 gram, characteristic of the paper money of the era. It falls within the category of French local issues from the First World War, whose diversity and relative rarity make them sought-after collectibles among enthusiasts of numismatics and regional history.