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Katanga 500 Francs banknote 1962

Katanga banknotes 500 Francs currency notes
Katanga paper money 500 Francs
Katanga 500 Francs banknote 1962 Banque Nationale du Katanga

Obverse depicting a man sitting in front of a primitive furnace, from which flows a stream of copper which is being guided to a mould in the sand to create a ‘Katanga cross’ or ‘croisette’.
On the back of the note is a rosette, or wheel, of African masks and spears which is reminiscent of a globe of the world.
The dominant colour of this note is purple, with a grey-brown background.
On both the front and back of the note is a white area which is left clear to allow easy viewing of the watermark.
On the back, below the area containing the watermark, can be found the following warning in French, which any counterfeiter would have to reproduce:
‘Penal Code — Article 117 — Persons who have fraudulently counterfeited or falsified bank notes that are legal tender in Katanga or a foreign country, or who have introduced or issued such counterfeit or falsified notes in Katanga are liable to imprisonment of five to twenty years and a fine of five thousand to twenty thousand francs. Penal Code — Article 117.’

On the front of the note are two serial numbers which have a two character prefix followed by a six digit number. The serial numbers are printed in red ink, despite the decree authorizing their issue stating that they would be printed in black ink. The place of issue is ‘Elisabethville’, the date of issue is ‘26 February 1962’, and the signatures of Mr. Placide Kitambala and Mr. Mwilambwe appear on behalf of the Board of Directors. Mr. Kitambala was one of the three members of the Bank’s Board of Directors and, while the position held by Mr. Mwilambwe is not known, he has been identified as an employee of the Bank. This note was introduced on 17 April 1962. Printer: Johan Enschede en Zonen.

Katanga banknotes - Katanga paper money
Banque Nationale du Katanga
1962-1963 Franc Katangais Issue

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