Francja - Asygnaty

Podczas Wielkiej Rewolucji Francuskiej (1789-1799), rząd rewolucyjny desperacko potrzebował pieniędzy dla dalszego funkcjonowania. Rozwiązaniem były asygnaty drukowane w olbrzymim nakładzie i społeczny przymus ich używania, nawet gdy w czasie inflacji stawały się bezwartościowe.

La Banque Royale

In 1716, John Law created the Banque Générale (Banque Générale Privée), a private bank which was quickly nationalized and renamed Banque Royale. Along with Louis XV providing government funding, Law funded the bank and applied his own untried economic theories to this first French central bank. This was the first French Bank issuing paper money that was only partially backed by silver. After some initial success, the Banque Royale failed in 1720, just two years after its creation, having created an environment of hyper-inflation and public mistrust of a banking system.

A very brief discussion of French units of currency

Through the Middle Ages to the 1200's, there was no homogeneous unit of currency used across France. France used the livre after the Roman unight of weight, and a livre was made up of 20 Sous, each divided into 12 Derniers, but the various duchies had their own version and valuation of the currency. In the 1200's, King Philip II began France's standardization to the Livre Tournois (Livre made in Tours, symbol "₶"). The Livre Tournois lasted until 1795, when France introduced the franc (valued at 1₶, 3d).

During this period, French coinage was issued in francs, écu, écu d'or, and gros d'argent, which all had monetary equivalents to the livre and dernier, though the livre tournois was the standard for large transactions.

1720 Second Issue

B413a face
B413a (
  • Laf.93
  • P-A20a
) 10 Livres Tournois
  • Drukarnia: Imprimerie Royal
  • 1/7/1720
  • Typo
  • "NQU" along left margin is a portion of "BANQUE ROYALE" used as a Counterfoil

Assemblée Nationale

In December of 1789, the National Assembly of the revolutionary government authorized the issuance of bonds, called Assignats, backed by sized royal and church properties ("Domaines Nationaux"). These were not initially intended to be used as currency, but as a way for the state to pay its debts, and for a time were successful. Within a year, with the country's economy in need of support, the Assignat was converted to legal tender. The Assignat was used through the rest of the revolution until its complete collapse in February of 1797.

1 Nov 1791 Issue

B623a face
B623a (
  • Ass.20a
  • Laf.145
  • P-A50
) 5 Livres 'Corsel'
  • 1/11/1791
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Bust of Louis XVI Roi des François
  • Watermark: 5L in Geometric Pattern

(F+B)

16 Dec 1791 Issue

B624a face
B624a (
  • Ass.21a
  • Laf.146
  • P-A51
) 10 Livres
  • 16/12/1791
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Libery, Right: Peace
  • Watermark: Royal 10L, Fleurs de Lys, and Pattern
(F+B)

4 Jan 1792 Issue

B627a face
B627a (
  • Ass.24a
  • Laf.149
  • P-A54
) 15 Sols
  • 4/1/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Genius Regne de la Loi, Right: Bust of Louis XVI Roi des François
  • Watermark: Royal Fleur de Lys above 15s, NLR and LA NATION
(F+B)
B628a face
B628a (
  • Ass.25a
  • Laf.150
  • P-A55
) 25 Sols
  • 4/1/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Bust of Genie of Liberty
  • Watermark: Royal LA NATION above 25. sols.
(F+B)

31 Juillet 1792 Issue

B634a face
B634a (
  • Ass.31a
  • Laf.156
  • P-A61
) 5 Livres 'Corsel'
  • 31/7/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Bust of Louis XVI Roi des François
  • Watermark: Royal 5L in Geometric Pattern

(F+B)

24 Oct 1792 Issue

B701a face
B701a (
  • Ass.34a
  • Laf.159
  • P-A64a
) 10 Sous
  • 24/10/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Genius Regne de la Loi, Right: Bust of Louis XVI Roi des François
  • Watermark: Royal 'LA NATION' in circle, '10s' at left, 'Xs' at right
(F+B)
B702a face
B702a (
  • Ass.35a
  • Laf.160
  • P-A65
) 15 Sols
  • 24/10/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Genius Regne de la Loi, Right: Bust of Louis XVI Roi des François
  • Watermark: Royal Fleur de Lys above 15s, NLR and LA NATION
(F+B)
B703b face
B703b (
  • Ass.36b
  • Laf.161b
  • P-A66b
) 10 Livres
  • 24/10/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Libery, Right: Peace
  • Watermark: Républicain 'RP / FR' and Fasces
(F+B)
B704a face
B704a (
  • Ass.37a
  • Laf.162
  • P-A67
) 25 Livres
  • 24/10/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Libery, Right: Peace
  • Watermark: 25L above Fleurs de Lys. Darker: LA NATION LA LOI LE ROI at right, surrounded by Pattern
(F+B)

14 Dec 1792 Issue

B710a face
B710a (
  • Ass.39a
  • Laf.164
  • P-A72
) 50 Livres
  • 14/12/1792
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Hercules fighting the Hydra, by Gatteaux
  • Watermark: LIBERTE EGALITE NATION FRANCAISE in border of Greek Key design
(F+B)

23 Mai 1793 Issue

B705b face
B705b (
  • Ass.40b
  • Laf.165b
  • P-A68b
) 10 Sous
  • 23/5/1793
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Genius Regne de la Loi, Right: Force
  • Watermark: Républicain 'RF / Xs' in Hexagon
(F+B)
B706b face
B706b (
  • Ass.41b
  • Laf.166b
  • P-A69b
) 15 Sols
  • 23/5/1793
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Genius Regne de la Loi, Right: Abundance
  • Watermark: Républicain 'RF / 15s' in Diamond
(F+B)
B707c face
B707c (
  • Ass.42c
  • Laf.167b
  • P-A70b
) 50 Sols
  • 23/5/1793
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Genius Regne de la Loi, Right: Justice
  • Watermark: Républicain 'RF / 50s' in Circle

(F+B)

6 Juin 1793 Issue

B708b face
B708b (
  • Ass.43b
  • Laf.168
  • P-A71
) 25 Livres
  • 6/6/1793
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Left: Libery, Right: Peace
  • Watermark: REP. FRANC.

28 Sep 1793 Issue

B711a face
B711a (
  • Ass.44a
  • Laf.169
  • P-A74
) 125 Livres
  • 28/9/1793
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Seated Liberty and the Consitution
  • Watermark: Fasces and '125' in a frame of wavy lines
B712a face
B712a (
  • Ass.45a
  • Laf.170
  • P-A75
) 250 Livres
  • 28/9/1793
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Hercules fighting the Hydra, by Gatteaux (cracked die)
  • Watermark: Pattern around border, with dark horizonal lines and three white dots

31 Oct 1793 Issue

B713a face
B713a (
  • Ass.46a
  • Laf.171
  • P-A76
) 5 Livres
  • 31/10/1793
  • Typo

  • Embossing: Genie of the Consitution, seated
  • Watermark: 5L and RF, dark bars and circle

2 Fev 1794 Issue

B714a face
B714a (
  • Ass.47a
  • Laf.172
  • P-A77
) 500 Livres
  • 2/8/1794
  • Typo
  • Right embossing die cracked

  • Embossing: Right: Liberty walking left, holding in her right hand a sign with tricolor surmounted by the phrygian cap, and the left hand brandishing a javelin. Circular legend FREEDOM OR DEATH (seen from back of note).
  • Watermark: 500 above, REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE at left and right

7 Jan 1795 Issue

B715a face
B715a (
  • Ass.48a
  • Laf.173
  • P-A78
) 100 Francs
  • 7/1/1795
  • Typo

  • Embossing: The French people holding in their left hand an olive branch and in the right hand a club, accompanied by Liberty resting on a pike and holding in her right hand a phrygian cap. Circular legend REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
  • Watermark: Phrygien Cap, Triangle, 100 Francs
B717a face
B717a (
  • Ass.50a
  • Laf.175
  • P-A80
) 1000 Francs
Red.
  • 7/1/1795
  • Typo
  • Sig Noel (printed)

  • Embossing: Left: Hercules with Liberty and Equality, Right: The Constitution
  • Watermark: Geometric figures, 1000 / RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE / liberté / ÉGALITÉ

Promesses de Mandats Territoriaux

In a last-ditch effort to salvage the economic disaster of the Assignat, the French government, then called the Directory, issued a new currency, the Mandat. These supposedly had stronger backing in that they could be used to purchase public real estate. The Mandat was a failure before it was even released, continuing the inflationary cycle of the Assignats.

B809b face
B809b (
  • Ass.59b
  • Laf.200
  • P-A83b
) 25 Francs Black
  • 18/3/1796
  • Typo
  • Series number added

  • Counterfoil
  • Embossing: Money, Garantie
B810b face
B810b (
  • Ass.60b
  • Laf.201
  • P-A84b
) 100 Francs Red
  • 18/3/1796
  • Typo
  • Series number added

  • Counterfoil
  • Embossing: Money, Garantie

Mandats Territoriaux

1796 Issue

B813b face
B813b (
  • Ass.63b
  • Laf.208
  • P-A87b
) 100 Francs
  • Drukarnia: Petits-Pères
  • 12/5/1798
  • Typo
  • Black octagonal handstamp RÉP. FRA./15 cent applied, and mandats returned to circulation after their use under Domaines Nationaux regulations.

  • Embossing: Ceres, buying land with money
  • Watermark: 5.F.

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