100 francs 1970 specimen
About This Note
This is a stunning 1970 specimen note from the New Hebrides' Institut d'Emission d'Outre-Mer, graded UNC. The 100 francs note features elegant ornamental borders with geometric patterns in pink/mauve and golden brown tones, showcasing two female portraits with indigenous styling on obverse and reverse. As a specimen note with visible 'SPECIMEN' overprint, this represents an unissued, pristine example that would appeal to collectors of Pacific currency and French colonial banknotes.
Common. Specimen notes from the 1970 New Hebrides 100 francs series are not particularly scarce. While specimen overprints command slightly more collector interest than circulation notes, the Institut d'Émission d'Outre-Mer produced specimens in sufficient quantities for institutional and archival purposes. No significant print run restrictions or early recalls are documented for this denomination and year. Specimen notes of this era typically trade in modest ranges, indicating healthy availability in the collector market.
Issued in 1970 during the final years of the New Hebrides' status as a Franco-British condominium, this note reflects the territory's transitional period before independence in 1980. The Institut d'Émission d'Outre-Mer served multiple French Pacific territories, and the note's design prominently features indigenous imagery—including female figures with floral wreaths and local landscape elements—celebrating the region's distinct cultural identity. The presence of both French text and English 'SPECIMEN' marking underscores the unique bilingual administrative heritage of this dual-sovereignty territory.
The obverse features an ornate geometric border frame in golden brown with Greek key and scrollwork patterns. The central composition incorporates a large circular security element (watermark area) with a portrait of a Melanesian woman depicted on the right side wearing long braided hair adorned with a floral wreath. Behind her is a coastal seascape with distant settlements and water rendered in blue and grey tones. The reverse maintains the identical border treatment and presents another female portrait on the left, this figure also decorated with flowers in her dark hair, set against a mountainous coastal landscape with visible valley settlements. Both sides display the denomination '100' in upper corners with 'CENT FRANCS' inscribed. The overall color palette of pink/mauve background with golden brown framing creates an elegant, distinctly Pacific aesthetic that celebrates indigenous culture within a formal financial instrument design.
{"front":{"inscriptions":[{"original":"INSTITUT D'ÉMISSION D'OUTRE-MER","translation":"Overseas Emission Institute"},{"original":"Nouvelles-Hébrides","translation":"New Hebrides"},{"original":"CENT FRANCS","translation":"One Hundred Francs"},{"original":"LE DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL","translation":"The General Director"},{"original":"LE PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL DE SURVEILLANCE","translation":"The President of the Supervisory Board"},{"original":"SPECIMEN","translation":"Specimen (English overprint)"}]},"back":{"inscriptions":[{"original":"INSTITUT D'ÉMISSION D'OUTRE-MER","translation":"Overseas Emission Institute"},{"original":"Nouvelles-Hébrides","translation":"New Hebrides"},{"original":"L'ARTICLE 139 DU CODE PÉNAL PUNIT DE LA RÉCLUSION CRIMINELLE À PERPÉTUITÉ CEUX QUI AURAIENT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIÉ LES BILLETS DE BANQUE AUTORISÉS PAR LA LOI","translation":"Article 139 of the Penal Code punishes with life imprisonment those who would have counterfeited or falsified banknotes authorized by law"}]}}
Engraved and lithographic processes were employed for this series, with the specimen noted showing characteristics consistent with fine line engraving for portrait work and decorative elements, combined with lithography for background colors and ornamental patterns. The Institut d'Émission d'Outre-Mer utilized major European security printers for production; notes from this series (1970) were typically produced by Banque de France contractors, though specific printer attribution for P-18s specimens would require additional research.
This note is cataloged as P-18s, the specimen variety of the base Pick number 18. The PMG population report indicates five recognized varieties for Pick 18: P-18a (Engraved, Signature #1), P-18b (Lithographed, Signature #1), P-18c (Signature #2), P-18d (Signature #3), and P-18s (Specimen). The specimen overprint 'SPECIMEN' visible on the obverse, combined with the use of all-zero serial numbers (00000000 / 00000) characteristic of unissued specimens, confirms this as the P-18s variety. Signature varieties and printing technique variations (engraved vs. lithographed) exist among the circulation counterparts, but the specimen format standardizes presentation across these differences.
