2 francs 1944
Market Prices
7 salesAbout This Note
This 1944 Morocco 2 Francs (Pick P-43) is an attractive example of the Empire Cherifien's wartime currency, featuring a striking tan and beige design with a centered five-pointed star on the obverse and an engraved architectural scene of La Menara Pavillon on the reverse. The note displays sharp, crisp printing with no visible wear, creases, or tears, consistent with the AU grade assigned. The bilingual French-Arabic inscriptions and ornate geometric borders reflect Morocco's status as a French Protectorate during this period.
Common. The eBay price tracking data shows consistent sales between $1.45 and $28 across various grades from 2013-2021, with most VF examples selling for under $30. The 2016 catalogue value for UNC condition is only $25, indicating steady but modest collector demand. The note was a regular issue for the Empire Cherifien and remains readily available in the secondary market across multiple condition grades.
Issued on April 6, 1944—a pivotal moment during World War II and just before the Normandy Invasion—this note represents the Empire Cherifien's currency under French Protectorate administration. The architectural reverse depicts La Menara Pavillon in Marrakech, a historically significant Moroccan monument symbolizing the nation's cultural heritage, while the bilingual presentation on French and Arabic reflects the colonial administrative structure and Morocco's dual cultural identity during the protectorate period.
The obverse features a symmetrical design dominated by a large five-pointed star in the center, flanked by circular frames containing the denomination '2' on both left and right sides. The entire design is framed by ornate geometric border patterns in dark brown and purple ink on a tan-beige background. The reverse showcases an engraved scene of La Menara Pavillon in Marrakech—a historic pavilion structure with fortification walls and a reflecting pool or water feature in the foreground, set against mountains in the background. The architectural scene is rendered in fine detail with cross-hatching technique typical of engraved banknotes. Ornate floral and geometric borders frame the reverse, with Arabic calligraphic elements in the corners and denomination markers (2F) positioned in the upper right and lower left. The printer's credit 'L.SCHULTZ' appears as signature.
{"front":{"DEUX FRANCS":"Two francs","PARIS DU 6 AVRIL 1944":"Paris, April 6, 1944","LE CONTREFACTEUR EST PUNI DE TRAVAUX FORCES":"The counterfeiter is punished with forced labor","Arabic script":"Present throughout, unable to fully transcribe from image"},"back":{"EMPIRE CHERIFIEN":"Sheriffian Empire","PROTECTORAT DE LA REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE":"Protectorate of the French Republic","LA MENARA":"The Menara (architectural landmark)","2F":"2 francs","L.SCHULTZ":"L. Schultz (artist/engraver signature)","Arabic script":"Present in border elements, unable to fully transcribe from image"}}
Engraved intaglio printing, as evidenced by the crisp, fine-line details visible in both the geometric patterns and the architectural scene of La Menara. The cross-hatching, sharp denomination frames, and detailed architectural rendering are characteristic of intaglio work. The printer was L. Schultz, as noted in the catalog data and visible on the reverse.
PMG has catalogued this as Pick P-43 under the designation 'Emergency Issue.' The specific variety observed here matches the standard 1944 issue dated 'PARIS DU 6 AVRIL 1944.' No serial number variants, overprints, or signature varieties are visible in the analyzed images. The printer L. Schultz is consistently credited on this issue type.
