Banknote France 1 Franc - City of Arras - 29-08-1914 - Serial A

Remarks:

épinglages, plis, salissures, coupures, bordure irrégulière

This municipal bond with a face value of one franc was issued by the City of Arras on 29 August 1914, during the first weeks following the outbreak of the First World War. It belongs to Series A and stands as a direct testimony to the monetary disruptions that characterised this period of conflict.

In August 1914, the general mobilisation and the economic tensions brought about by France's entry into the war caused a shortage of fiduciary currency in circulation. Faced with this situation, many French municipalities, including the city of Arras, took the initiative of issuing their own bonds in order to compensate for the lack of cash and to maintain local commercial exchanges. These emergency issues, often referred to as necessity currencies, are of considerable historical and documentary importance.

The city of Arras, the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, was at that time particularly exposed to military events, as the front stabilised close to its ramparts as early as autumn 1914. The issuance of this municipal bond as early as August bears witness to the speed with which the local authorities reacted to the emerging monetary crisis.

This type of municipal bond, intended to circulate locally as a substitute for metallic coins and banknotes that had become scarce, is of major interest to collectors specialising in war numismatics and more particularly in French issues from the 1914-1918 period. The precise date of 29 August 1914 and the indication of Series A allow this document to be identified with accuracy among the various issues produced by the municipality of Arras during the conflict.