1000 francs 1965
“Ivory Coast”
About This Note
This is an exceptional Uncirculated example of the 1965 West African States 1000 Francs (Pick P-103Ak), issued by the Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. The note displays sharp, pristine printing with no wear, creases, or stains, featuring elegant dual male portraits on the obverse and a richly detailed reverse showcasing tropical imagery including cotton plants, palm fronds, pineapples, and a river landscape with traditional structures. The crisp engraving and vibrant color palette—combining cream, green, orange, and black—make this a visually striking example of mid-20th century West African currency design.
Common. The 1965 West African States 1000 Francs (Pick P-103Ak) represents a standard circulation issue from the central bank's early operations. While the specific code letter 'K' variant may have a more limited print run than certain other letters, the denomination and year remain widely available in the numismatic market. No evidence of recall, short print runs, or exceptional scarcity exists for this Pick number. UNC examples command modest premiums over circulated grades but remain accessible to collectors.
Issued in 1965, this banknote represents a critical period for the newly independent West African states, with the central bank serving the monetary union of multiple former French colonies. The reverse's agricultural imagery—cotton plants, pineapples, and tropical vegetation alongside river commerce—reflects the economic foundations of these nations, while the portrait of an older African figure emphasizes indigenous leadership and dignity during the post-colonial period. The dual portraits on the obverse likely represent significant political figures of the era, documenting the region's transition to self-governance.
The obverse features two male portrait busts in left profile, rendered in classical black engraving: a bearded figure on the left and a younger man on the right, framed by ornamental geometric patterns in tan with diamond and linear designs. A decorative palm frond dominates the right side in botanically accurate detail with green and tan tones. The reverse displays a single older African male portrait in left profile, surrounded by an elaborate allegorical composition celebrating the region's economic wealth: cotton plants with bolls, palm fronds, pineapple plants with fruit, and various tropical flora rendered in green and brown. A background landscape depicts a river scene with boats and traditional waterfront structures, symbolizing commerce and cultural heritage. Both sides employ cream and beige base colors with blue, pink, and gray accents, bordered by geometric security patterns and double-line ornamental frames.
Front Side: '1000' (denomination), 'BANQUE CENTRALE DES ÉTATS DE L'AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST' (Central Bank of the States of West Africa), 'C.126 A' (country/series code), 'LE PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL DES MINISTRES' (The President of the Council of Ministers), 'LE GOUVERNEUR' (The Governor), 'MILLE FRANCS' (One Thousand Francs), Serial number '98344' and security reference '312798344'. Back Side: '1000' (denomination), 'BANQUE CENTRALE DES ÉTATS DE L'AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST' (Central Bank of the States of West Africa), 'LES AUTEURS OU COMPLICES DE FALSIFICATION OU DE CONTREFAÇON DE BILLETS DE BANQUE SERONT PUNIS CONFORMÉMENT AUX LOIS ET ACTES EN VIGUEUR' (The authors or accomplices of falsification or counterfeiting of banknotes will be punished in accordance with laws and acts in force).
Intaglio (engraved line) printing on banknote paper, executed with fine detail work characteristic of European security printers of the 1960s. The precision of the portrait engraving, the elaborate botanical detailing, and the complex geometric security patterns indicate use of traditional steel engraving plates with multi-color overprinting. Based on Pick catalog records for BCEAO issues of this era, this note was likely produced by a European security printer such as Bradbury Wilkinson or similar establishment with expertise in colonial-era currency production.
This note is cataloged as Pick P-103Ak, identified by the code letter 'K' visible in the inscription 'C.126 A' area. The PMG population report indicates at least three 'A' code variants are known (P-103Ab, P-103Ac, P-103As), suggesting multiple code letters exist for this denomination and year. The specific code letter designations likely correspond to different printing batches or security series. Serial number '98344' and the signature block reading 'LE PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL DES MINISTRES' and 'LE GOUVERNEUR' are consistent with 1965 BCEAO conventions. Collectors should note variations in code letters when building a complete series.
