Banknote Billet Réunion 1000 francs 1971

This 1000 Francs / 20 Nouveaux Francs banknote was issued in 1971 for Réunion, a French territory in the Indian Ocean. It belongs to series W.2 and has the distinctive feature of being an overprinted banknote, meaning that a subsequently printed inscription indicates the new face value of 20 Nouveaux Francs, corresponding to the monetary conversion that took place during the transition to new francs in France and its territories.

This overprinting technique was commonly used to adapt already printed banknotes to a new monetary unit, without having to undertake a complete redesign of the series. The banknote therefore displays two distinct face values, the original value of 1000 Francs and the new converted value of 20 Nouveaux Francs, both inscriptions coexisting on the same paper note.

The issuance of banknotes specific to Réunion fell under the responsibility of the Institut d'Émission des Départements d'Outre-Mer (IEDOM), which managed the monetary affairs of the French overseas departments. These banknotes are distinguished from those of mainland France by their local graphic themes, generally related to the fauna, flora or characteristic landscapes of the island.

This type of overprinted banknote now stands as a tangible testimony to the monetary transitions experienced by French overseas territories during the 20th century, and as such represents a collectible item of definite interest for specialists in French colonial and overseas numismatics.