Banknote Billet France 500 francs Blaise Pascal 1983

Remarks:

Plis, multiple épinglages et salissures

This 500 francs banknote known as "Pascal" was issued by the Banque de France and bears the date of 2 June 1983. It belongs to series P.187, allowing its precise identification within the overall production of this type.

This type of banknote takes its name from Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), a French mathematician, physicist, philosopher and theologian, whose effigy features prominently in the graphic composition. The Pascal series was issued in France from 1968 and remained in circulation until the late 1990s, making it one of the longest-running series in the history of the French franc.

The obverse of the banknote depicts the portrait of Blaise Pascal, accompanied by graphic elements evoking his scientific work, particularly in connection with his famous arithmetic machine, the forerunner of the modern calculator. The reverse features references to his works and intellectual universe, in a composition typical of the Banque de France's graphic designs of that era. The dominant colours of the banknote are brown and green, characteristic of this issue.

The banknote is of a standard size for denominations of this face value in French production of the time. It incorporates the usual security features of Banque de France banknotes of this generation, including a watermark depicting Pascal's portrait, visible when held up to the light, as well as intaglio printing giving the banknote its characteristic tactile relief.

This 500 francs Pascal banknote dated 2 June 1983, belonging to series P.187, constitutes a tangible testament to the monetary policy and official iconography of France during the last decades of franc usage before the introduction of the euro in 2002.