5 francs 1950
About This Note
This is an exceptional example of the Saint Pierre & Miquelon 5 Francs 1950 (Pick P-22) issued by the Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer, graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ. The note exhibits pristine condition with vibrant multicolored printing featuring intricate engraved line work, crisp impressions, and no evidence of wear, circulation, or damage. The obverse showcases an 18th-century historical figure in formal dress alongside a detailed sailing ship, while the reverse depicts an indigenous or tropical figure in traditional dress within a lush tropical landscape—a design reflecting the colonial territories' cultural heritage.
Common. The Saint Pierre & Miquelon 5 Francs 1950 was issued as a standard-circulation note by the Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer for the North Atlantic territories. While the specific territory and era create limited modern collector demand, no evidence suggests an exceptionally small print run, early recall, or scarcity in the market. The PMG 66 EPQ grade indicates an uncirculated specimen, which commands a modest premium over circulated examples, but the Pick P-22 remains a standard catalog issue with regular availability among colonial currency dealers.
Issued during the post-World War II period when Saint Pierre & Miquelon remained a French overseas collectivity, this 1950 note reflects France's effort to maintain monetary authority over its remaining territories through the Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer (Central Treasury of Overseas France). The design elements—the sailing ship representing the maritime history of the North Atlantic fishing territories and the tropical landscape figure—commemorate the diverse economic and cultural spheres of French overseas dominion. This series predates the franc's eventual replacement and represents a relatively short-lived colonial currency regime.
The obverse features a dignified male portrait in 18th-century formal attire with white curled hair and decorative white collar, positioned on the right side, representing a historical figure significant to French colonial heritage. On the left, a multi-masted sailing ship in full sail dominates the composition, symbolizing the maritime history of Saint Pierre & Miquelon as a strategic North Atlantic fishing colony. The reverse depicts a figure in traditional dress wearing a distinctive red/pink plaid patterned headwrap and beaded necklaces, representing the indigenous or tropical populations within French overseas territories. The background landscape features tall palm trees, mountains, colonial architecture with a reddish-tiled roof, tropical vegetation, and cultivated crops (corn/maize), collectively representing the economic and agricultural character of the overseas territories. Ornamental borders and decorative frames in cream, blue, green, and brown tones frame both sides.
FRONT: 'SAINT-PIERRE-ET-MIQUELON' (Saint Pierre and Miquelon) / 'CAISSE CENTRALE DE LA FRANCE D'OUTRE-MER' (Central Treasury of Overseas France) / 'CINQ FRANCS' (Five Francs) / 'LE DIRECTEUR GENERAL' (The General Director) / 'G. A. KLEIN FEC.' (Engraved by G. A. Klein) / 'G. GELTRAND SC.' (Sculpted by G. Geltrand) / Serial number: A.81 200076856. BACK: 'SAINT-PIERRE-ET-MIQUELON' (Saint Pierre and Miquelon) / 'CAISSE CENTRALE DE LA FRANCE D'OUTRE-MER' (Central Treasury of Overseas France) / 'L'ARTICLE 139 DU CODE PENAL PUNIT DES TRAVAUX FORCES CEUX QUI AURAIENT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIE LES BILLETS DE BANQUES AUTORISEES PAR LA LOI' (Article 139 of the Penal Code punishes with forced labor those who would have counterfeited or falsified banknotes authorized by law) / 'G. A. KLEIN FEC.' (Engraved by G. A. Klein) / 'A. CHAPON SC.' (Sculpted by A. Chapon).
Intaglio engraving with multicolor printing. The note exhibits intricate line work and fine detail characteristic of high-security banknote production. Engravers G. A. Klein (both sides) and sculptors G. Geltrand (obverse) and A. Chapon (reverse) are credited. The complex background patterns, precise registration of multiple colors (cream, blue, green, brown, red/pink, and gold/yellow), and sharp impression quality indicate production by a specialized European security printer, consistent with French colonial currency standards of the 1950s.
This specimen displays serial prefix 'A.81' with serial number 200076856, consistent with the base P-22 variety identified by PMG as having a Sailing Ship watermark. The catalog indicates three recorded variants for this Pick number (P-22, P-22p, and P-22s), though differentiation primarily relates to watermark specifications rather than obverse/reverse design variation. The credited engravers (Klein, Geltrand, Chapon) are standard to the 1950 issue and do not indicate a notable variety.
