50 francs 1944

Common. The eBay market data provided shows consistent sales of this Pick number across multiple condition grades ranging from $7.50 to $62 over more than a decade, with VF-grade examples regularly selling in the $25-$62 range. The 2016 catalog value of $25 for VF aligns closely with observed market pricing. The note is frequently encountered in the collector market with numerous sales recorded, indicating healthy supply and consistent demand without scarcity premiums. While colonial currency can be collectible, this standard-issue 50 Francs denomination from the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale was produced in substantial quantities and remains readily available.

Issued on September 27, 1944, this note was produced during the critical final months of World War II and represents the currency of French West Africa under the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale. The imagery—featuring an African man in traditional dress and the dominant banana plantation symbolism—reflects the colonial economic focus of French West Africa, where agricultural export production (particularly from territories like Guinea, Ivory Coast, and French Guinea) was central to the region's colonial administration and economy.

The obverse features a portrait of an African man shown in right profile, wearing the distinctive red fez hat that served as a symbol of French colonial authority and administrative status in West Africa. To the left stands an imposing crenellated tower of Islamic or North African architectural style, with figures in traditional dress beneath it, likely representing a colonial administrative or trade center. The background incorporates striped patterns suggesting cultivated agricultural fields. The reverse emphasizes the colonial economic theme with the same portrait figure positioned adjacent to large banana bunches in prominent yellow tones, with agricultural landscape striping in the background. Both sides employ ornamental borders, decorative geometric and floral patterns along the edges, and fine cross-hatching engraving throughout. The denomination '50' appears in all four corners. The color palette—cream/beige base with red, blue, yellow/gold, brown, and green accents—is characteristic of mid-1940s French colonial currency design.

FRONT SIDE: Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale (Bank of West Africa) | Cinquante Francs (Fifty Francs) | 27-9-1944 (Date: September 27, 1944) | A.622 (Serial identifier) | 860 (Reference number) | Le Président (The President) | Le Directeur Général (The General Director) | Seb. Laurent Fec. (Seb. Laurent made/engraved this) | R. Armanelli Sc. (R. Armanelli engraved this) | BACK SIDE: Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale (Bank of West Africa) | L'Article 189 du Code Pénal punit des travaux forcés ceux qui auraient contrefait ou falsifié les billets de banques autorisés par la loi (Article 189 of the Penal Code punishes with forced labor those who have counterfeited or falsified banknotes authorized by law) | Seb. Laurent Fec. (Seb. Laurent made/engraved this) | Magot. Tibon Sc. (Magot. Tibon engraved this) | 008 (Reference number)

This note was produced using intaglio line engraving, evidenced by the fine cross-hatching, detailed portrait work, and ornamental border designs visible throughout both sides. The engravers Seb. Laurent and R. Armanelli (obverse) and Magot. Tibon (reverse) are credited in the inscriptions. The Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale's notes from this period were typically printed by the Banque de France's security printing facilities or contracted French printers utilizing traditional intaglio methods, which provided the security features and fine detail characteristic of colonial currency of this era.

This example is Pick-39 with the Man's Head watermark designation. The PMG population report indicates two cataloged variants exist for this base Pick number (P-39 and P-39s). The observed serial number prefix 'A.622' and the specific date of 27-9-1944 help identify this within the series. No overprints, emergency markings, or unusual features are evident from the visual analysis. The note represents a standard regular issue from the series with no apparent rare varieties indicated by the visual characteristics or inscriptions.