Banknote Billet Réunion 5 francs 1944

The 5 Francs banknote from Réunion, known as the "Cabasson rouge", belongs to an issue spanning a long period, from 1913 to 1954. This banknote is part of the K.238 series, which provides a precise identification element for collectors and numismatists specialising in French colonial issues.

Its popular nickname "Cabasson rouge" refers to the Cabasson, an emblematic bird of Réunion Island, whose representation adorned this type of banknote. The predominant red colour, characteristic of this note, naturally earned it this distinctive name, which endures in numismatic tradition.

This banknote was issued under the authority of the Banque de La Réunion, the institution that held the right of issue over this French overseas territory. The particularly long period of issue, spanning more than four decades, bears witness to the stability and durability of this banknote model within the Réunion economy of the time.

Weighing 1 gram, this banknote displays the typical physical characteristics of French colonial issues from the first half of the 20th century. The face value of 5 francs makes it an intermediate denomination within the monetary system in use in Réunion during this period, before the island underwent the monetary transformations linked to the departmentalisation of 1946 and the gradual introduction of the CFA franc and then the French franc.

These colonial banknotes now represent important historical testimonies of the monetary history of French overseas territories. The K.238 series constitutes a precise reference for dating and authenticating specimens within this long issue, with each series corresponding to a specific production batch over the decades concerned.