100 Francs 1950, France
| in Krause book | Number: 128c |
| Years of issue: | 24.08.1950 |
| Edition: | -- |
| Signatures: | Le Caissier General: J. Cormier, Le Secrétaire General: P. Gargam (29.06.1950 - 16.11.1950) |
| Serie: | 1945 - 1949 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 07.11.1945 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 130 х 85 |
| Printer: | Banque de France, Chamalieres |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Portrait of young woman.
Presumably, it is the portrait of Marianne - personification of France. But there are no evidences that this version is right.
Avers:
A bit of history:
After the liberation of France by the Allies, in the Second World War, the country was for some time in financial chaos.
France was flooded with temporary banknotes printed in the USA, which, among other things, were also forged in an incredible amount. Then the question arose about introducing its own, more secure currency.
The first proposal came from the Americans. A banknote of 100 Francs, blue, with a portrait of Moliere, was proposed. But this option was rejected by the Bank of France (and General De Gaulle, in particular), since the banknote was very similar in design to American dollars.
This note refers to a new series of "Famous People of France and Workers' Professions", initiated by the decision of the General Council of the Bank of France in 1945 (the topic of this banknote was agriculture and fishing). This series includes still fifty franc notes Leverrier and five hundred francs Chateaubriand. The series is made in the Art Deco style, inspired the development of the design of French banknotes in the last series of 1992.
On the banknote is a portrait of a young peasant, against the background of a tool for weeding and two oxen, harnessed into a yoke.
I asked the Bank of France, namely its archive department, or, maybe, they could send me copies of drawings, used for the design of the banknote. If they answer - the pictures will be added to the description.
Denomination in numerals are in top corners, in words - at bottom.
Revers:
On banknote is a sailor with three kids. His wife is holding a small crab in her hand, playing with her children. In the background there are two ships. One is at the pier, the other is at the harbor.
Sailors family depicted near capstan.
A capstan is a vertical-axled rotating machine developed for use on sailing ships to apply force to ropes, cables, and hawsers. The principle is similar to that of the windlass, which has a horizontal axle.
The word, connected with the Old French capestan or cabestan(t), from Old Provençal cabestan, from capestre "pulley cord," from Latin capistrum, -a halter, from capere, to take hold of, seems to have come into English (XIV century) from Portuguese or Spanish shipmen at the time of the Crusades. Both device and word are considered Spanish inventions. 
Denomination in numeral is in top right corner, in words in lower right corner.
Comments:
Obverse engraver: Camille Beltrand.
Reverse engraver: Georges Regnier.
Designer: Eugène Poughéon.
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