Banknote France 5 Francs - Saint-Quentin and Guise Regions - Mennevret - 27-10-1917

Remarks:

plis, salissures, taches

This 5 franc note was issued in 1917 by the Regions of Saint-Quentin and Guise, locality of Mennevret, in the midst of the First World War. It is a typical example of emergency currency, issued locally to compensate for the shortage of cash that affected many French regions occupied or disrupted by the conflict.

The date printed on this note is 27 October 1917, which allows it to be placed precisely within the historical context of the German occupation of northern France. The regions of Saint-Quentin and Guise, located in the Aisne department, were among the areas heavily affected by military operations, making the creation of such local monetary instruments essential to ensure the continuity of commercial exchanges among the civilian population.

These emergency notes, also known as war currencies, were generally produced by chambers of commerce, municipalities, or groups of communes, under the supervision of local authorities. They circulated as replacements for or supplements to the official notes of the Banque de France, which had become scarce or inaccessible in territories disrupted by the war.

From a numismatic standpoint, this note represents a direct testimony to local economic organisation in times of crisis. The mention of Mennevret, a commune belonging to the arrondissement of Vervins in the Aisne, gives this document a particular historical and geographical value, illustrating the diversity of local issues that emerged during this troubled period. The face value of 5 francs represents a significant denomination for the time, intended to facilitate everyday transactions within the local population.