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7 unusual facts about French franc


Auguste Pellerin

On 2 February 1910, 35 of Pellerin's Manets were sold for 1,000,000 francs to a consortium of art dealers that included Bernheim-Jeune, Durand-Ruel, and Paul Cassirer, a move that stirred controversy.

Chamalières

Chamalières is the place where the Banque de France located its printing works in 1923, which printed former French franc banknotes, and now prints Euro banknotes.

Commemorative coins of Monaco

The commemorative coins of Monaco are minted by the Monagasque Treasury since the re-valuation of the French franc in 1960 and before the introduction of the euro in 2002.

Dave Welch

His biggest cash win to date is FF 250,000 ($40,750) for winning the 1998 Euro Finals of Poker no limit hold'em poker tournament, defeating a field including Padraig Parkinson, Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott, Patrick Bruel and Surinder Sunar.

Francesco Piranesi

The Emperor Napoleon came to his help, issuing an imperial decree granting the sum of 300,000 French francs, upon the condition that Piranesi dedicate himself solely to his engraving work, then considered the best in Europe.

Rail transport in Ethiopia

Menelek resisted personally putting any funds into the venture, but did grant a 99-year lease to Ilg and his associates in return for a number of shares in the firm and half of all profits in excess of 3,000,000 francs.

Teresa de la Parra

Winner of the annual award given by Casa Editora Franco-Ibero-Americana in Paris in 1924, Teresa de la Parra finally had her work published and received a prize of 10,000 French francs.


AM-Franc

With the swift take-over of sovereignty by General Charles de Gaulle, who considered the US occupation franc as “counterfeit money”, the currency rapidly faded out of use in favour of the pre-war French franc.

Clarence Dillon

An oenophile as well, Dillon negotiated for months with André Gibert, to purchase Château Haut-Brion and ultimately did so on May 13, 1935 for 2,300,000 francs.

Jean Launois

The Curator of the Museum, Léonce Bénédite, received permission from the Undersecretary of Arts to purchase 12 of Launois’ drawings for 500 French francs.


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