French Pacific Territories banknotes

The "Pacific Franc" originally known as the "Franc of the French Pacific colonies" and which today bears the unofficial name of "Change Franc Pacific", appeared at the end of the Second World War world during the Bretton Woods Agreements. Before 1945, the banknotes in circulation came for a large number from the French metropolis or from the Bank of Indochina, a counter of which had been opened in 1905 in Nouméa.

The CFP franc is, with the euro, one of the two official currencies of the French Republic and whose four banknotes from the 1986-2013 issue are also overprinted on the front. The 10,000 francs Type 1986 is the only banknote to bear the mention "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" on the front and back. These francs are only legal tender in French communities in the Pacific Ocean with New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna and unfortunately cannot be exchanged outside these territories!

1986-2013 Issues

Regarding the first range of banknotes issued for all French territories in the South Pacific, the Overseas Issuing Institute (IEOM) partly includes two existing banknotes of 500 francs and 1,000 francs having been issued for New Hebrides or which had been overprinted on the back of the place of their respective issue territory, as for Noumea or Papeete. Two new banknotes of 5,000 francs and 10,000 francs are added and the 10,000 francs Type 1986 is the first banknote to include a value expressed in CFP francs: "10,000 C.F.P". The four notes are characterized above all by an extraordinarily rich graphic composition and magnified by the talent of recognized artists like Pierrette Lambert or Raymond Vaudiau. The vignettes thus offer a multiplicity of details and colors illustrated by the fauna, flora, populations and history of French Polynesia on the front and New Caledonia on the back. These notes, which have circulated for 40 years for the oldest, end up over time, by no longer meeting international security and manufacturing standards ...

2014 issues

The banknotes of the first range are logically and gradually replaced by four new denominations of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000 francs, more modern, better secured, and novelty required, easily recognizable by the visually impaired. A note of 20,000 francs is also planned but remains to this day in the state of development. These new notes were especially designed to celebrate the reunion of the three French communities of the South Pacific, with a "Caledonian" front, a "Polynesian" back and distinctive signs of Wallis and Futuna. on January 20, 2014, 7.8 million banknotes were put into circulation for a total value of 20.012 billion FCFP!