20 FRF #172

Front

Allegorical scene depicting a French fisherman in traditional working clothes, seated with fishing net and maritime implements. This design represents France's fishing industry and coastal communities during the post-war period. The fisherman motif became iconic of this series, symbolizing honest labor and France's maritime heritage during the reconstruction years following World War II.

Back

A fisherman's family group showing women and child with basket of produce, alongside a decorative street lamp and a view of a coastal church or chapel in the background. The scene celebrates family life and the prosperity of France's fishing communities, with the inscription 'LE CONTREFACTEUR SERA PUNI DES TRAVAUX FORCÉS A PERPETUITÉ' (counterfeiters will be punished with forced labor for life) as a security warning.

History

The 'Pêcheur' (Fisherman) series was issued by the Banque de France from 1942 to 1950, spanning the late Vichy period, Liberation, and early Fourth Republic. This 20 francs note was one of the most common denominations in circulation during France's post-war recovery. The series was withdrawn from circulation in 1963 following the 1960 currency reform that introduced the Nouveau Franc at a rate of 100 old francs to 1 new franc. These notes are widely available to collectors today.