Banknote France 500 Francs - Chateaubriand - 13-05-1948 - Serial C.108

Remarks:

Plis, salissures, épinglages, inscription au verso 

This French banknote with a face value of 500 francs was issued on May 13, 1948. The front of the banknote features a portrait of François René de Chateaubriand, holding a lyre, a plucked stringed musical instrument, a symbol of poetry and music. The inscriptions "500" are repeated on the sides, framing the value in words "CINQ CENTS FRANCS" (FIVE HUNDRED FRANCS) and the name of the issuing institution, "BANQUE DE FRANCE" (BANK OF FRANCE). The front is the work of engraver André Marliat and designer Robert Poughéon.

The back of the banknote depicts muses resting near a stele. Decorative elements such as incense and cornucopias are also present. The inscriptions again include the face value "500", the name of the issuing bank "BANQUE DE FRANCE", and a legal notice reminding of the penalties provided for by Article 139 of the Penal Code for counterfeiting and falsifying banknotes. The value in words "CINQ CENTS FRANCS" is also repeated. The back was designed by Robert Poughéon and engraved by Robert Armanelli.

The banknote's watermark depicts a female head in profile. The series of the banknote is C.108. This 500 Francs Chateaubriand banknote testifies to the economic and cultural context of post-war France, where the figure of Chateaubriand, a 19th-century writer and politician, was highlighted.