5 francs 1926
Market Prices
23 salesAbout This Note
This is an F-grade 5 Francs banknote from the Banque de l'Algérie, issued in 1926 (Pick P-77a). The note displays typical circulation wear with moderate creasing, foxing, and aged patina consistent with its nearly 100-year history. The obverse features a striking portrait of a woman in traditional North African white head covering, while the reverse depicts a veiled woman in full Islamic dress set against a Mediterranean harbor scene with minaret and sailing vessels, both rendered in the multicolor printing style characteristic of 1920s colonial currency.
Common. eBay market data shows consistent sales activity across multiple condition grades, with F-grade examples regularly trading in the $5–$20 range, indicating robust supply. The note was issued during a 17-year period (1924–1941) by a major colonial bank, suggesting substantial print runs. The catalog value for F-grade (approximately $0.50–$5 based on 2016 references) and the frequency of sales confirm this is a readily available note in the collector market, despite its age.
Issued during the French colonial period in Algeria, this banknote reflects the cultural and economic landscape of 1920s North Africa through its carefully curated imagery. The prominent depictions of women—one in a simple white kerchief and the other in full traditional Islamic dress—suggest an intentional representation of Algerian society for both domestic and metropolitan French audiences. The Mediterranean harbor scene on the reverse evokes Algeria's strategic importance as a colonial port and commercial hub under French administration.
The obverse presents a formal portrait of a woman wearing a white traditional head covering (likely a haik or similar North African garment), positioned on the right side with a direct forward gaze. She is framed within an ornate decorative border featuring geometric lattice patterns and Islamic-style floral motifs in blue and red. The composition balances symmetry with the central placement of denomination text and institutional identity. The reverse depicts a veiled woman in complete traditional Islamic dress (likely representing an Algerian woman in everyday attire) standing in profile, holding decorative fruit or produce. Behind her is a detailed Mediterranean coastal landscape featuring a busy harbor with multiple sailing vessels and fishing boats, stone buildings of colonial-era architecture, and a prominent minaret or lighthouse tower. The entire note is bordered by characteristic red dotted guilloche patterns typical of early 20th-century security printing. Both sides employ blue, red, cream, and black inks to create a multicolored, ornate presentation befitting the era's aesthetic standards.
Front side: 'BANQUE DE L'ALGÉRIE' (Bank of Algeria), 'CINQ FRANCS' (Five Francs), 'LE SECRÉTAIRE GÉNÉRAL' (The General Secretary), 'LE CAISSIER PRINCIPAL' (The Principal Cashier), 'L'ARTICLE 139 DU CODE PÉNAL PUNIT LES TRAVAUX-FORCES À PERPÉTUITÉ LE CONTREFACTEUR' (Article 139 of the Penal Code punishes counterfeiters with perpetual forced labor), date notation 'C.19-2-1926.C.' (19 February 1926), serial number D.0630 15728508. Back side: 'BANQUE DE L'ALGÉRIE' (Bank of Algeria), denomination '5', Arabic inscriptions 'بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم' (In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate—the Basmala), 'وبارك فيهم' (And blessed them—Quranic phrase), printer mark 'BITA S.C.'
Intaglio engraving and letterpress printing, executed by BITA S.C. (visible as printer mark on reverse). The fine details of the portraits, the intricate geometric patterns, the dotted guilloche borders, and the layered coastal landscape are characteristic of professional bank note engraving. The multicolor printing was achieved through multiple passes with separate plates for each color (red, blue, and black), a standard technique for high-security currency production in the 1920s.
This note is catalogued as Pick P-77a, with a known variant P-77b. Both variants feature the same watermark (draped woman's head) and the same basic design. Differentiating features between P-77a and P-77b typically involve signature variations or subtle printing differences. The observed note bears four signatures (LE SECRÉTAIRE GÉNÉRAL and LE CAISSIER PRINCIPAL positions signed), which is consistent with the documented issue type. Serial number D.0630 15728508 indicates this specimen from the D-series prefix group. Without detailed comparative analysis of all signature combinations, the P-77a variety designation from the catalog data is accepted. Collectors should note that signature varieties and date notations (this example dated 19 February 1926) may distinguish between sub-varieties within this Pick number.
