Dave M

Another nice note, P136 Napoleon Bonaparte:

Ah, very cool. Then congrats and good luck with the new endeavors! Maybe you should keep a "virtual collection" of fine damsels on banknotes, then. Dave

Sorry to hear that, I always enjoyed those images. Dave

And another I've been looking to get for a while, never just found the right one until now. 5000fr Victoire, P97 Dave

Here's the next one, Ceres et Mercure, P-90. This thing's a monster, I don't have any holders large enough for it. Dave

Yep, looking back on these with today's eyes, it would be hard not to imagine these notes being a huge insult to the locals. I suppose times were different, though, and I'm glad they printed them so you can make your "pretty ladies" collection that we all enjoy More to come, I was lucky to get a nice batch of notes recently... emptied my bank account a bit. Dave

Here's a nice assignat from 1792: Dave

Thanks! I just received a few more notes today, will post them as I get them scanned and loaded up on my site. Here's the first of them French West Africa P43 By the way, I'm almost done with a huge conversion on my FrenchBanknotes.com web site. I'm putting all the banknote information into XML, and automating the generation of the pages on the site so they are all sourced from XML. It's been quite the learning experience. So now I can add a note just by adding an XML entry for it, and all the relevant pages should update dynamically. I guess I should have asked if anyone has already defined an XML schema for a banknote, but I didn't. I just made up what I needed So if you're rummaging around on my site and see some broken things... yes, I'm still working on it. Dave

I got a couple notes in today's mail. Here you go W.A.States P104 and Gabon P5 Dave

I haven't seen a copy of that 5lei note, it's wonderful. If I have my info right, both those notes were actually printed in France. More than just "influence"! Dave

Madison, your scans are pretty grainy... I'm wondering if you can get a better image by scanning at a higher dpi, then reducing the image down in a graphics program. No complaints, I love seeing the notes, I'm just thinking you may be able to have better images? Dave

Beautiful notes, guys! I'm awaiting a couple shipments myself, and will post them up when they arrive. Does the mail always travel slower right after you buy a nice banknote? Dave

I find I have to force myself to remember that. When I see a note I want, I'm always thinking "this is the one and only time I will ever see this note again - must bid high!" Nice notes, Madison. Dave

Thanks for the feedback, Dave. I'm enjoying looking at this world sideways a bit, and think I'll keep it up. I'm already finding it easier to sort my want list by central banks. Dave

I have recently organized a page at http://www.frenchbanknotes.com/banks.php that sorts my French Printed notes by Central Bank, rather than by country. It's quite interesting to look at the notes this way, because all same-design notes end up in the same place, and if one wants to collect just one of each design, this saves having a note in one country collection while all the other countries are clearly missing the note. For me, it also makes it easier to see the big picture of who was issuing notes, and for whom. Take a look, and let me know what you think. Dave

I have not, Madison. Dave

That whole 1970 series from Mali is really nice, and reasonably priced too! Dave

That's a nice looking note, Dave. Seems like you collect "everything" ...that must be quite a challenge Dave

I haven't sorted my lists by continent, but these (this is the low value of a set of 3) may be the only three from Banque de France in South America. There are quite a few more recent notes printed by Oberthur in France, but they don't have that "French look" to them. Dave

A note I've been looking for, for a while. Hard to find in any decent condition. Uruguay P17, the Centennial issue, printed Banque de France. Dave

Wonderful notes, Madison! I need to get that "goats in a tree" note, I think it's pretty cool Dave

I had the luck to be in France about 15 years ago, and saw notices in the subway for a paper money show being held in an art gallery. I made a point to get over there, to find a stunning display from the BdF. Not only was essentially every 20th century note shown, but all sorts of proofs, trials, colors, etc. They also had all sorts of historical information relating to the notes. The display was quite stunning, with beautiful lighting and enclosures. It was probably the point at which I got serious about collecting. I wish they had produced a book with all these depicted. Dave

Yeah, I can imagine the spring collection thing... This note has a fold and possibly a closed staple hole on the left side, possibly the remnant of being in some kind of sample book. My understanding from the French literature is that Banque de France did have such sample material available, and in fact you can see all the printing houses re-use certain vignettes and frames on notes for different countries. Individual artists themselves also went around independently and contracted to do work for various treasuries, and must have had some sort of portfolio of their work to show off, much like a photographer has. I would like to differentiate, though, a "specimen" from a "color trial". My understanding is that a specimen is a note in the finished colors, of a note that actually is being produced. It is as final as possible aside from the serial numbers, and possibly a stamp "specimen" or holes punched through. Whereas a color trial happens earlier in the process, where it is still being decided which colors to use to print the note, and can even be for a note which was never issued. It can be on different paper, and even look like something that was originally destined for the trash can. Specimens come out quite liberally, and are used for training, education, communication, all sorts of things, whereas you wouldn't typically expect color trials to be issued in large numbers. Is this your understanding as well, or am I misunderstanding something in the terms or usage of these? Dave

Thanks Dave. My philatelic background says that typically "color trials" come in multiples, showing the same item printed in a variety of colors, usually not the one the final product was printed with. Hence my hesitance to call this a color trial. In any event, I will Dave

Today's mail brings the following... It was listed as a color trial, but I'm not sure that's the correct term. If anyone has some input here, I'd certainly appreciate it. The item is a uniface version of Yugoslavia P-25, missing the control numbers. Within tolerances, it is the same color as the issued note. It is on paper a bit more cream colored, and without watermark, and the paper margins are about 1/8" wider all around (the printed area is the same size). Dave