10 francs 1944
Market Prices
38 salesAbout This Note
This Luxembourg 10 Francs note from 1944 features Grand Duchess Charlotte in an oval portrait frame on the obverse, rendered in purple tones with elegant decorative borders and rosette designs. The reverse displays the Grand Duchy's coat of arms prominently centered on an olive-green background. In VF condition, the note exhibits age-appropriate wear with slight discoloration and minor foxing, but remains well-preserved with no significant tears or damage.
Common. Despite its wartime issuance, this note circulated widely during its period and remains readily available in the numismatic market. eBay transaction data shows consistent sales across all condition grades, with VF examples regularly trading in the $3-$12 range historically, indicating no scarcity premium. The 2016 catalog valuation of $3 for VF condition further supports a common classification.
Issued during World War II by the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg under occupation, this 1944 note represents the wartime monetary period when the nation was under German control. The portrait of Grand Duchess Charlotte, who had fled to exile during the Nazi occupation, served as a symbol of Luxembourg's sovereignty and legitimacy. The heraldic imagery on the reverse reinforces national identity during a period of external political subjugation.
The obverse features a centrally-positioned oval portrait of Grand Duchess Charlotte wearing a decorative headband, framed within ornate cartouches. The denomination '10' and text 'DIX FRANCS' appear in all four corners with elaborate rosette ornaments. The design incorporates fine guilloche background patterns and intricate engraved line work throughout. The reverse displays the Grand Coat of Arms of Luxembourg as its central focal point, featuring the heraldic lion and royal crown above a shield, surrounded by symmetric decorative elements and corner ornaments. Both sides employ the classical balanced composition typical of ABNC's 1940s European banknote designs.
Front: 'GRAND-DUCHÉ DE LUXEMBOURG' (Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg); 'DIX FRANCS' (Ten francs); 'LE MINISTRE DES FINANCES' (The Minister of Finance); 'CEUX QUI AURAIENT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIÉ DES BONS DE CAISSE SEROUNT PUNIS DES TRAVAUX FORCÉS DE 15 À 20 ANS' (Those who would have counterfeited or falsified treasury bonds shall be punished with forced labor of 15 to 20 years); 'AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY'; Serial number 'A7156641'. Back: '10' (denomination); 'LUXEMBOURG'; 'ZENG FRANC' (Ten francs in local variant); 'AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY'.
Intaglio (engraved) printing with multiple color passes. The note was produced by the American Bank Note Company (ABNC) in New York, employing their signature high-security engraving technique. The fine line work, guilloche patterns, and precise color separation indicate professional steel plate engraving and multi-stage printing characteristic of ABNC's premium banknote production standards of the era.
This appears to be Pick P-44a (standard ABNC printing). The PMG population report indicates variants P-44a and P-44s exist for this base Pick number. The visual analysis shows AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY attribution confirming the P-44a variety. No unusual signatures, date variations, or overprints are evident in the serial number prefix 'A' or other observable details.
