Banknote 500 Francs, Marianne, 1945

Genuine 500 Francs “Marianne” banknote, issued just after WWII to temporarily replace the banknotes circulating under German occupation.

Printed in 1945.

Good overall condition.

This banknote belongs to a special issue produced in England by the Thomas De La Rue & Co. printing company at the request of the French Provisional Government after the Liberation. Unlike the “flag notes” introduced by American forces during the Normandy landings, these notes were officially recognized and circulated in France starting on June 4, 1945, withdrawn on May 14, 1946, and lost legal tender status on July 31, 1946.

The format, style, and material differ slightly from the U.S.-printed notes: the paper and engraving are typically British, with a clean and sober design. The note features an allegorical figure of Marianne, a powerful symbol of the French Republic, engraved by E. Dulac, and a typography similar to that of classic Banque de France issues.

This issue is part of the second post-Liberation monetary wave, following the American invasion currency. It accompanied the reorganization of the French monetary system after the war and the restoration of the authority of the Provisional Government.

Unlike the AMGOT notes introduced in Normandy in June 1944 and quickly rejected by De Gaulle, the 1945 Marianne notes were fully integrated into the national monetary circulation. However, their time in circulation was brief, as they were replaced about a year later by more stable Banque de France issues.