5 francs 1949

Common. The eBay price history demonstrates consistent market activity with numerous sales across all condition grades, with most examples trading between $8-$50 depending on condition. The 2016 catalog values of $2-$20 for lower grades confirm this is a regularly encountered note. While the print run is typical for a standard-issue denomination from a major regional bank, the high frequency of sales and relatively modest pricing across multiple decades indicates strong availability in the collector market.

Issued in 1949 by the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale, this note reflects the late colonial period of French West Africa. The obverse portraiture of an African woman and man, and the reverse depiction of African workers engaged in labor with river commerce in the background, exemplify the colonial-era iconography used to represent the territories and their peoples in French West African currency. The date of June 29, 1949 places this note in the final decade before the independence movements that would reshape the region.

The obverse features two allegorical African portrait busts representing the peoples and regions of French West Africa. The left bust depicts an African woman in profile facing left, adorned with an ornate pearl-studded collar and elaborate headdress, symbolizing the region's cultural richness. The right bust shows an African man holding a spherical object (representing the globe or world commerce) above his head, symbolizing progress and economic potential. Both portraits are rendered with fine detail and set against a landscape background within a decorative floral and geometric border. The reverse presents a more narrative scene of colonial economic activity, featuring a muscular African laborer in the foreground holding a large paddle or agricultural implement, with background scenes of river commerce and other workers, depicting the labor-based economy of the colonial territories. The design credits attribute engraving to S.E.B. Laurent with additional work by Bourriez (obverse) and A. Chapon (reverse).

FRONT: 'BANQUE DE L'AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE' (Bank of West Africa); '5' and 'CINQ FRANCS' (Five Francs); '29-6-1949' (June 29, 1949); Serial number '42432' and series designation 'C.94'; 'Le Président' (The President) and 'Le Directeur Gal' (The General Director) above signature lines; 'SEB. LAURENT FEC.' (Engraved by S.E.B. Laurent) and 'BOURRIEZ SC.' (Bourriez engraved). BACK: 'BANQUE DE L'AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE' (Bank of West Africa); '5 FRS' (5 Francs); 'L'ARTICLE 139 DU CODE PÉNAL PUNIT DES TRAVAUX FORCÉS CEUX QUI AURAIENT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIÉ LES BILLETS DE BANQUES AUTORISÉS PAR LA LOI' (Article 139 of the Penal Code punishes with forced labor those who would have counterfeited or falsified banknotes authorized by law); 'SEB. LAURENT FEC.' (Engraved by S.E.B. Laurent) and 'A. CHAPON SC.' (A. Chapon engraved).

Intaglio engraving with multicolor printing, employing fine line work and complex border patterns characteristic of high-security banknote production. The detailed portraiture and landscape scenes were produced through the traditional engraving method, with colors applied in multiple passes. This printing technique was standard for Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale issues and provided both aesthetic quality and anti-counterfeiting security through the difficulty of reproducing fine engraved details.

This example displays the standard P-36 variety with the watermark of a man's head, as noted in the PMG population report. The serial number prefix 'C.94' and the June 29, 1949 date are consistent with regular circulation issues. No overprints or special markings are evident. PMG has catalogued two variants for this Pick number (P-36 and P-36s), with this being the standard P-36 type.