Banknote Billet France 200 francs Charles Montesquieu, écrivain et philosophe français 1986

Remarks:

Multi-épinglages, plis et usure

The 200 francs Montesquieu banknote is a French banknote issued by the Banque de France. The date printed on this note is 1985, with an actual circulation date of 1986. It bears the reference M.037, which corresponds to its identification series.

This banknote pays tribute to Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, an 18th-century French writer and philosopher, famous in particular for his major work The Spirit of the Laws, published in 1748, in which he developed the theory of the separation of powers. His portrait is prominently featured on this note, making him the central figure of this issue.

The face value of this banknote is 200 francs, which made it a high-denomination note in the French monetary system of the time. The graphic design of the note incorporates iconographic elements directly linked to the life and work of Montesquieu, including architectural and literary references evoking the Age of Enlightenment, a period during which the philosopher made a decisive intellectual contribution.

The banknote features the usual technical characteristics of Banque de France notes from this period, with security devices embedded in the fiduciary paper. It is made of paper weighing 1 gram. The dominant colours, watermarks and micro-printing typical of Banque de France productions guaranteed its authenticity and made reproduction difficult.

This banknote belongs to a series of French denominations which, during the 1980s, honoured iconic figures of French culture and thought. Today it stands as a testament to the French monetary system that preceded the introduction of the single European currency, the euro, in 2002.