View source for French franc

{{short description|Currency of France from 1795 to 2002}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox currency
| local_name = franc français
| local_name_lang = fr
| image_1 = 50 ve 100 fransiz frangi.PNG
| image_title_1 = 50 and 100 francs
| image_2 = 200 ve 500 fransiz_frangi.PNG
| image_title_2 = 200 and 500 francs
| iso_code = FRF
| iso_comment = (1960–2002)
| ERM_since = 13 March 1979
| ERM_fixed_rate_since = 31 December 1998
| euro_replace_non_cash = 1 January 1999
| euro_replace_cash = 1 March 2002
| ERM_fixed_rate = 6.55957 F
| unit = franc
| subunit_ratio_1 = {{frac|1|100}}
| subunit_name_1 = [[centime]]
| nickname = {{lang|fr|balles}} (1&nbsp;F);<ref>{{cite book |first1=E. |last1=de Goncourt |first2=J. |last2=de Goncourt |name-list-style=amp |title=Charles Demailly |date=1860 |page=107 }}.
</ref>{{efn|Always used in the plural and originally in reference to the old franc, so that new francs were known as {{lang|fr|cent balles}} (100 old francs). Later, new francs and eventually euros came to be called {{lang|fr|balles}}.}} {{lang|fr|sacs}} (10&nbsp;F); {{lang|fr|bâton}}, {{lang|fr|brique}}, {{lang|fr|patate}}, {{lang|fr|plaque}} (10,000&nbsp;F)
| symbol = F or Fr
| symbol_comment = (briefly also {{mono|NF}} during the 1960s; also unofficially {{mono|1=FF}} and {{mono|1=₣}})
| frequently_used_coins = 5, 10, 20 centimes, {{frac|1|2}}&nbsp;F, 1&nbsp;F, 2&nbsp;F, 5&nbsp;F, 10&nbsp;F
| rarely_used_coins = 1 centime, 20&nbsp;F, 50&nbsp;F
| frequently_used_banknotes = 20&nbsp;F, 50&nbsp;F, 100&nbsp;F, 200&nbsp;F, 500&nbsp;F
| rarely_used_banknotes =
| issuing_authority = [[Bank of France]]
| issuing_authority_website = {{URL|https://www.banque-france.fr}}
| mint = [[Monnaie de Paris]]
| mint_website = {{URL|https://www.monnaiedeparis.com}}
| obsolete = yes
}}
The '''franc''' ({{IPAc-en|f|r|æ|ŋ|k}}; {{langx|fr|franc français}}, {{IPA|fr|fʁɑ̃ fʁɑ̃sɛ|}}; [[currency sign|sign]]: '''F''' or '''Fr'''),{{efn|An F-with-bar or Fr [[Typographic ligature|ligature]] ('''₣''') is available as a [[Unicode]] currency symbol character but was never adopted and has never been officially used.<ref>{{cite book |first=Yannis |last=Haralambous |date=2007 |title=Fonts & Encodings |page=78 |publisher=O'Reilly}}</ref> The F-with-bar symbol was proposed by [[Édouard Balladur]], [[Minister of Economy (France)|Minister of Economy]], in 1988.<ref>{{citation |last=Balladur |first=Édouard |author-link=Édouard Balladur |title=Un symbole pour le franc |date=1988 }}.</ref>{{fcn|reason=Could not identify this source for [[WP:V|verification]]|date=August 2025}}}} also commonly distinguished as the {{nowrap|'''French franc'''}} ('''FF'''), was a [[currency]] of [[France]]. Between 1360 and 1641, it was the name of coins worth 1 [[livre tournois]] and it remained in common parlance as a term for this amount of money. It was reintroduced (in [[French livre|decimal form]]) in 1795. After two centuries of inflation, it was [[Redenomination|redenominated]] in 1960, with each {{nowrap|'''new franc'''}} ('''NF''') being worth 100&nbsp;old francs. The NF designation was continued for a few years before the currency returned to being simply the franc. Many French residents, though, continued to quote prices of especially expensive items in terms of the old franc (equivalent to the new [[centime]]), up to and even after the introduction of the [[euro]] (for coins and banknotes) in 2002.<ref name=anciens/> The French franc was a commonly held international [[reserve currency]] of reference in the 19th and 20th centuries. Between 1998 and 2002, the conversion of francs to euros was carried out at a rate of 6.55957 francs to 1 euro.

==History==
{{See also|French livre|Livre parisis|Livre tournois}}

The French franc traces its origins to the [[French livre|Carolingian monetary system]] of the 8th century AD, and more specifically to the [[livre tournois]], an offshoot of the same system which emerged in the 13th century. Here is a table of changes to the value of the [[livre parisis]] and the livre tournois in terms of [[silver]] or [[gold]] until the French franc was introduced in 1795.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Historical values of the livres parisis and tournois, grams of precious metal
|-
! rowspan="2"|Year !!colspan="2"| Livre parisis !! colspan="2"| Livre tournois
|-
!  g silver !! g gold !!g silver !! g gold
|-
|{{small|AD}} 781 || 407.92 || — || — || —
|-
| {{circa|1000}} || 305.94 || — || — || —
|-
| 1266 || — || — || 80.88 || —
|-
| 1317 || 80.88 || — || 64.70 || —
|-
| 1361 || 55.85 || 4.856 || 44.68 || 3.885
|-
| 1425 || 38.243 || 3.585 || 30.594 || 2.868
|-
| 1475 || 30.594 || 2.620 || 24.475 || 2.096
|-
| 1549 || 20.396 || 1.747 || 16.317 || 1.398
|-
| 1641 || — || — || 8.309 || 0.6189
|-
| 1726 || — || — || 4.505 || 0.3116
|-
| 1785 || — || — || 4.444 || 0.2867
|-
| franc || — || — || 4.500 || 0.2903
|}

=== Carolingian, 781 ===
[[File:Denier Charlemagne1.jpg|thumb|right|Denier of Charlemagne {{circa|800}}]]
Emperor [[French livre|Charlemagne's monetary system]] was introduced in 781 AD to the Frankish [[Carolingian Empire]] and spread over the centuries to much of [[Western Europe]], with a Livre (pound) of silver divided into 20 [[Solidus (coin)#France|sols or sous]] (shillings) and the sol divided into 12 deniers (pennies). Only the [[French denier|denier]] existed as a coin for the next 500 years, with the sou and livre functioning as accounting multiples of the denier. The first livre and denier weighed 407.92&nbsp;g and 1.7&nbsp;g, respectively, of the finest silver available.

=== Capetian, c. 1000 ===
Livres and deniers issued {{circa|1000}} under the [[Capetian dynasty]] contained 305.94&nbsp;g and 1.27475&nbsp;g fine silver, respectively. The French mark of 8 ounces was a unit of weight equal to 244.752 grams, and equal in weight to 192 deniers or 16 sols of this period.

In subsequent centuries the French kings would struggle to implement fixed standards for the livre over a decentralized realm of Frankish feudal rulers, many of whom claimed the right to issue currency within their own domains, and often resorting to currency debasements in moments of stringency. While monetary values as proclaimed by French kings would eventually be identified as the [[livre parisis]], other regions almost always got by with currencies of lower standard. One such currency, the [[livre tournois]], would eventually become the preferred accounting system under a more centralized French kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GrJCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA396|title=The History of Currency, 1252–1894: Being an Account of the Gold and Silver Moneys and Monetary Standards of Europe and America, Together with an Examination of the Effects of Currency and Exchange Phenomena on Commercial and National Progress and Well-being|last1=Shaw|first1=William Arthur|year=1896}}</ref>

===Louis IX, 1266===
[[File:Louis IX gros 1266.jpg|thumb|right|{{lang|fr|Gros tournois}} of Louis IX, 1266]]
The emergence of the livre tournois as France's preferred accounting system occurred during the reign of [[Louis IX of France|King Louis IX]] with the issuance of the silver {{lang|fr|[[gros tournois]]}} with 58 issued to a French mark of silver of fineness {{frac|23|24}} (hence 4.044&nbsp;g fine silver in a gros), and valued at 1 sol (12 deniers) in France's Touraine region, though valued less than 1 sol parisis. The new coin's reputation and handling convenience versus those of debased deniers assured the adoption of the gros tournois to the rest of Western Europe.

===Late Capetian, 1317===
Towards the reign of [[Philip IV of France|King Philip IV le Bel]] came pressures to further debase the denier, which occurred in 1317 when the {{lang|fr|gros tournois}} was raised to 15 deniers tournois or 12 deniers (1 sol) parisis, thus commencing the fixed parity of 4 deniers parisis to 5 deniers tournois. While French kings would continue to prescribe coin values in multiples of 4 and 12 deniers parisis until the end of the 15th century, the rest of France would gradually choose to recognize their increased values in multiples of 5 and 15 deniers tournois.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GrJCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA416|title=The History of Currency, 1252–1894: Being an Account of the Gold and Silver Moneys and Monetary Standards of Europe and America, Together with an Examination of the Effects of Currency and Exchange Phenomena on Commercial and National Progress and Well-being|last1=Shaw|first1=William Arthur|year=1896}}</ref>

===Hundred Years' War, 1361===
[[File:Franc à cheval 1360 73001139.jpg|thumb|left|Franc à cheval]]
[[File:Charles V France franc pied 73001141.jpg|left|thumb|{{lang|fr|Franc à pied}}]]
The start of the [[Hundred Years' War]] against [[Kingdom of England|England]] in 1337 would increase the pressure to further debase the French livre. An attempt in 1343 to reverse earlier depreciations of circulating deniers and reinstate the old 1317-era gros tournois ({{lang|fr|forte monnaie}}, or strong money) caused financial havoc especially with borrowers who received depreciated coins and who then had to repay debts in {{lang|fr|forte monnaie}}. Lower valuations for the livre had to be accepted subsequently as the war raged on.

In 1361 the gros tournois of 15 deniers tournois (1 sol parisis) was minted at 84 to a French Mark of silver, 23/24 fine (hence, 2.79&nbsp; fine silver in a gros). At the same time gold flowing from [[Southern Europe]] started to become an important medium of exchange in the North, so gold francs worth 1 livre tournois (16 sols parisis) were minted at 63 to a French mark of fine gold (hence, 3.885&nbsp;g in a franc). Gold as circulating currency would henceforth continue in the form of {{lang|fr|[[écu]]s d'or}} of varying gold content.

The gold franc worth one livre tournois was introduced in 1360 to pay the [[ransom of King John II of France]]. This coin secured the king's freedom and showed him on a richly decorated horse earning it the name {{lang|fr|franc à cheval}}<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/franc |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Franc|date=30 June 2023 }}</ref> (meaning "free on horseback" in French).<ref>Philip Grierson. ''Coins of Medieval Europe''. p. 145.</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2025}} The obverse legend, like other French coins, gives the king's title as {{lang|la|Francorum Rex}} ("[[Francia|King of the Franks]]" in Latin) and provides another reason to call the coin a franc.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}} John's son, [[Charles V of France|Charles V]], continued this type. It was copied exactly at [[Duchy of Brabant|Brabant]] and [[Cambrai]] and, with the arms on the horse cloth changed, at Flanders. Conquests led by [[Joan of Arc]] allowed [[Charles VII of France|Charles VII]] to return to sound coinage and he revived the {{lang|fr|franc à cheval}}. [[John II of France|John II]], however, was not able to strike enough francs to pay his ransom and he voluntarily returned to English captivity.

John II died as a prisoner in England and his son [[Charles V of France|Charles V]] was left to pick up the pieces. Charles V pursued a policy of reform, including stable coinage. An edict dated 20 April 1365 established the centrepiece of this policy, a gold coin officially called the {{lang|fr|denier d'or aux fleurs de lis}} which had a standing figure of the king on its obverse, pictured under a canopy.<ref name="Britannica"/> Its value in money of account was one livre tournois, just like the {{lang|fr|franc à cheval}}, and this coin is universally known as a {{lang|fr|franc à pied}} ('free on foot').<ref name="Britannica"/> In accordance with the theories of the mathematician, economist and royal advisor [[Nicole Oresme]], Charles struck fewer coins of better quality gold than his ancestors. In the accompanying deflation, both prices and wages fell, but wages fell faster and debtors had to settle up in better money than they had borrowed. The Mayor of Paris, [[Étienne Marcel]], exploited their discontent to lead the [[Jacquerie]] revolt which forced Charles V out of the city. The franc fared better. It became associated with money stable at one livre tournois.<ref>John Porteous. ''Coins in History''. p. 116</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2025}}

===Lancastrian War, 1425===
A certain degree of peace achieved at the start of the 15th century helped settle the value of French currency. After 1422 the gros of 1 sol parisis was minted at 96 to a French mark, {{frac|3|4}} fine (hence 1.912&nbsp;g per gros), while the [[écu]] of 20 sols parisis was minted at 64 to a French mark, {{frac|22|1|2}} karats or {{frac|15|16}} fine (hence 3.585&nbsp;g per écu). The gros and the écu compared favourably with England's [[Twopence (British pre-decimal coin)|2-pence coin]] of 1.8&nbsp;g silver and 40-pence ({{frac|1|6}}th of a pound) half-noble coin of 3.48&nbsp;g gold, resulting in an approximate exchange rate of 1 [[Pound sterling#History|pound sterling]] to six livres parisis.
 
Peace in the [[Burgundian Netherlands]] after the 1420s also resulted in the 1434 realignment of the Flemish monetary system with the French livre. The new [[Dutch guilder#History|Flemish guilder (pound)]] of 20 [[stuiver]] (shilling) contained 32.6&nbsp;g fine silver and was approximately par with the Livre Parisis of 20 sols (38.24 g). Such parities between the French livres to the Flemish and English currencies would persist up to the 1560s and would facilitate the issue of identical coin denominations across these countries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Munro |first=John H. |title=Gold, Guilds and Government: The Impact of Monetary and Labour Policies on the Flemish Cloth Industry, 1390–1435 |url=https://www.economics.utoronto.ca/wwwfiles/archives/munro5/JaarboekGuildsGovt.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416172344/https://www.economics.utoronto.ca/wwwfiles/archives/munro5/JaarboekGuildsGovt.pdf |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |website=University of Toronto: Department of Economics}}</ref>

===Louis XI, 1475===
[[File:Écu louis XII.jpg|thumb|right|Écu au soleil of Louis XII]]
The [[Great Bullion Famine]] of the mid-15th century resulted in yet another debasement during the reign of King [[Louis XI]], with the livre parisis reduced to 1 French ounce (30.594&nbsp;g) fine silver or 2.620&nbsp;g fine gold. The silver gros was minted at 69 to the French mark, {{frac|23|24}} fine (3.4&nbsp;g fine silver) and was valued at {{frac|1|9}}th the Livre Parisis (or {{frac|2|2|9}} sols). The gold {{lang|fr|[[Écu|écu au soleil]]}} was minted at 72 to the mark, {{frac|23|1|8}} karats fine (3.2754&nbsp;g fine gold), and was valued at 25 sols parisis. The close of the 15th century saw the beginnings of a more centralized French currency system and the discontinuation of competing currency systems within France.

The livre parisis of 1 French ounce approximately matched the silver content of {{frac|1|6}}th [[pound sterling]] (1 troy ounce of sterling silver). It would also become the model for the Holy Roman Empire when its prince-electors started issuing the 1-ounce silver {{lang|de|[[Guldengroschen]]}} divided into 21 {{lang|de|[[Groschen]]}} (gros, shillings) or 252 {{lang|de|[[Pfennig]]e}} (pence).

===Valois-Angoulême, 1549===
A considerable acceleration in the debasement of the French, English and Dutch currencies occurred during the reign of the [[House of Valois#Valois-Angoulême|Valois-Angoulême kings]] in the 16th century amidst the huge influx of precious metals from the American continent arriving through the [[Habsburg Netherlands]]. The loose enforcement of monetary standards in the Dutch provinces resulted in a significant {{frac|1|3}}rd reduction in the value of the French livre by 1549, with debasements continuing into the 17th century.

The French ounce (30.594&nbsp;g) of fine silver was raised in value from 1 to {{frac|1|1|2}} livre parisis (or from 25 to {{frac|37|1|2}} sols tournois). The {{lang|fr|[[Écu|écu au soleil]]}} of 3.2754&nbsp;g fine gold was raised in value from 25 to {{frac|37|1|2}} sols parisis (or {{frac|31|1|4}} to approximately 47 sols tournois). This 50% advance was also seen in England in 1551 when it raised its troy ounce of sterling silver from 40 to 60 pence, and in the 17th century when the Holy Roman Empire raised its one-ounce silver [[thaler]] from 1 to {{frac|1|1|2}} silver gulden.

The 16th century saw the issuance of larger silver coins, first in testoons (9&nbsp;g fine silver, valued at 11 sols Tournois in 1549), and later on in silver francs (12.3&nbsp;g fine silver, valued at 1 livre tournois in 1577). These French coins, however, were much less popular than the 1-ounce silver coins coming out of Spain, the Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire, leading to the 1641 currency reform under King [[Louis XIII]].

[[Henry III of France|Henry III]] exploited the association of the franc as sound money worth one livre tournois when he sought to stabilize French currency in 1577. By this time, inflows of gold and silver from [[Hispanic America|Spanish America]] had caused [[inflation]] throughout the world economy and the kings of France, who were not getting much of this wealth, only made things worse by manipulating the values assigned to their coins. The [[Estates General (France)|States General]] which met at Blois in 1577 added to the public pressure to stop currency manipulation. Henry III agreed to do this and he revived the franc, now as a silver coin valued at one livre tournois. This coin and its fractions circulated until 1641 when Louis XIII replaced it with the silver [[écu]]. Nevertheless, the name "franc" continued in accounting as a synonym for the livre tournois.<ref>John Porteous. ''Coins in History''. p. 182</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2025}}

===Louis XIII, 1641===
[[File:Ecu d'argent de Louis XIII le Juste.jpg|thumb|left|{{lang|fr|Louis d'argent}} of Louis XIII, 1642]]
[[File:France 1641 Ecu d'Or (Louis13).jpg|thumb|left|{{lang|fr|Louis d'or}} of Louis XIII, 1641]]
In the 17th century King [[Louis XIII]] abolished its unpopular coinage of francs and ecus in favour of Spanish-modelled coins. It also abolished the livre parisis system in favour of exclusive use of the livre tournois. The [[Spanish dollar]] was the model for the {{lang|fr|Louis d'argent}} – 9 to a French mark (244.752&nbsp;g) of silver, {{frac|11|12}} fine (hence 24.93&nbsp;g fine silver), and valued at 3 livres tournois. The Spanish [[doubloon]] or two-escudo coin was the model for the {{lang|fr|[[Louis d'or]]}} – {{frac|36|1|4}} to a French mark of gold, {{frac|11|12}} fine (hence 6.189&nbsp;g fine gold), and valued at 10 livres.

===Louis XV, 1726===
[[File:France 1784-A Ecu (Louis16).jpg|thumb|right|Ecu of Louis XVI, 1784]]
[[File:France 1788 Louis d’or (Louis XVI).jpg|thumb|{{lang|fr|Louis d'or}} of 24 livres, 1788]]
France entered another turbulent period during the [[War of the Spanish Succession]] from 1701 to 1714, resulting in another debasement of the livre tournois. Under King [[Louis XV]]'s reign in 1726 the silver {{lang|fr|[[écu]] d'argent}} was issued at 8.3 to a mark of silver, 11/12 fine (hence 27.03&nbsp;g fine silver), and valued at 6 livres. A new gold {{lang|fr|Louis d'or}} was also issued at 30 to a mark of gold, 11/12 fine (hence 7.4785&nbsp;g fine gold), and valued at 24 livres.

===Louis XVI, 1785===
The rise in the value of gold at the onset of the [[Industrial Revolution]] in Great Britain and elsewhere as well as King [[Louis XVI]]'s reign led to the rise in the gold–silver ratio to 15.5, resulting in the reduction in the gold content of the 24-livre {{lang|fr|Louis d'or}} from {{frac|1|30}} to {{frac|1|32}} of a mark, 11/12 fine. While the silver standard remained unchanged, assays of the period indicate that coins contained approximately 1.5% less bullion than officially specified. The 1795 swapping of livres to francs at the rate of 1.0125 livres = 1 franc suggest that the 6-livre ecu contained 26.67&nbsp;g fine silver while the reduced 24-livre Louis contained 6.88&nbsp;g fine gold.

The livre tournois was swapped in 1795 for the French franc (or franc germinal), worth 4.5&nbsp;g silver or {{frac|9|31}}&nbsp;g = 0.29032&nbsp;g gold (ratio 15.5), at a rate of 1 franc = {{frac|1|1|80}} livres or 1 livre, 3 deniers.

=== French Revolution ===
[[File:France 1795-96-A 5 Centimes.jpg|thumb|left|1795 five centime coin, the first year of decimal fractions for the franc]]
[[File:FRA-A50-Domaines Nationaux-5 livres (1791).jpg|left|thumb|An {{lang|fr|Assignat}} for 5 livres (1791)]]
{{multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center| align = right| direction = vertical| width = 200| header = 1799 two-decimes [[Essai (coin)|essai coin]] | footer=Three separate strikes of the proposed two-decimes coin (not adopted)|image1 = France 1799 2 Decimes (pattern).jpg | alt1 = | caption1 = | image2 = France 1799 2 Decimes (pattern, obverse).jpg | alt2 = | caption2  =| image3 = France 1799 2 Decimes (pattern, reverse).jpg | alt3 = | caption3  =  }}

The decimal "franc" was established as the national currency by the [[National Convention]] of [[French First Republic|Revolutionary France]] in 1795 as a decimal unit (1 franc = 10 décimes = 100 centimes) of 4.5&nbsp;g of fine [[silver]]. This was slightly less than the [[French livre|livre]] of 4.505&nbsp;g, but the franc was set in 1796 at 1.0125 livres (1 livre, 3 [[denier (coin)|deniers]]), reflecting in part the past minting of sub-standard coins. Silver coins now had their denomination clearly marked as "5 FRANCS" and it was made obligatory to quote prices in francs. This ended the {{lang|fr|[[Ancien Régime|ancien régime]]}}'s practice of striking coins with no stated denomination, such as the Louis d'or, and periodically issuing royal edicts to manipulate their value in terms of money of account, i.e. the [[livre tournois]]. The franc became the official currency of France in 1799.<ref name="Britannica"/>

Coinage with explicit denominations in decimal fractions of the franc also began in 1795.<ref>W. D. Craig, ''Coins of the World'', 2nd ed., p. 100</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2025}} Decimalization of the franc was mandated by an act of 7 April 1795, which also dealt with the [[decimalization]] of [[Unit of measurement|weights and measures]]. France led the world in adopting the [[metric system]] and it was the second country to convert from a [[Non-decimal currency|non-decimal]] to a decimal currency, following [[Russian Empire|Russia]]'s conversion in 1704,<ref>Cribb, Cook, Carradice, and Flower, ''The Coin Atlas'', p. 119</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2025}} and the third country to adopt a decimal coinage, also following the [[United States]] in 1787.<ref>Cribb, Cook, Carradice, and Flower, ''The Coin Atlas'', p. 266</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2025}} France's first decimal coinage used allegorical figures symbolizing revolutionary principles, like the [[Coins of the United States dollar|coinage designs]] the United States had adopted in 1793.

The circulation of this metallic currency declined during the Republic: the old gold and silver coins were taken out of circulation and exchanged for printed {{lang|fr|[[assignat]]s}}, initially issued as [[Bond (finance)|bonds]] backed by the value of the confiscated goods of churches, but later declared as [[Legal tender|legal tender currency]]. The withdrawn gold and silver coins were used to finance the [[French Revolutionary Wars]] and to import food, which was in short supply.

As during the "[[Mississippi Company|Mississippi Bubble]]" in 1715–1720, too many {{lang|fr|assignats}} were put in circulation, exceeding the value of the "national properties", and the coins, due also to military requisitioning and hoarding, rarefied to pay foreign suppliers. With national government debt remaining unpaid, and a shortage of silver and brass to mint coins, confidence in the new currency declined, leading to [[hyperinflation]], more [[food riot]]s, severe political instability and termination of the [[First French Republic]] and the political fall of the [[French Convention]]. Then followed the economic failure of the [[French Directory|Directory]]: coins were still very rare. After a ''[[coup d'état]]'' that led to the [[French Consulate|Consulate]], the [[First Consul]] progressively acquired sole legislative power at the expense of the other unstable and discredited consultative and legislative institutions.

=== French Empire and Restoration ===
{{See also|Napoléon (coin)}}
{{Css Image Crop|Image = France 1803-04-A 20 Francs.jpg|bSize = 410|cWidth = 200|cHeight = 200|oTop = 5|oLeft = 6|Location = left|Description = 20 gold francs coin of 1803, depicting Napoleon as [[French Consulate|First Consul]]}}
{{Css Image Crop|Image = France 1807-A 40 Francs.jpg|bSize = 410|cWidth = 200|cHeight = 200|oTop = 5|oLeft = 6|Location = right|Description = 40 gold francs coin of 1806, now depicting Napoleon as [[Emperor]]}}
In 1800 the [[Banque de France]], a federal establishment with a private board of executives, was created and commissioned to produce the national currency. In 1803, the {{lang|fr|franc Germinal}} (named after the month Germinal in the [[French Republican Calendar|revolutionary calendar]]) was established, creating a gold franc containing 290.034&nbsp;mg of fine gold. From this point, gold and silver-based units circulated interchangeably on the basis of a 1:15.5 ratio between the values of the two metals ([[bimetallism]]) until 1864, when all silver coins except the 5-franc piece were [[Debasement|debased]] from 900 ‰ to 835 ‰ silver without the weights changing.

[[File:France, 5 franc (Ceres), 1850 - Second Republic.jpg|thumb|5 francs, 1850. [[French Second Republic]]. 900 fine silver.]]
This coinage included the first modern gold coins with denominations in francs. It abandoned the revolutionary symbols of the coinage 1795, now showing [[Napoleon]] in the manner of [[Roman emperor]]s, first described as {{lang|fr|"Bonaparte Premier Consul"}} and with the country named as {{lang|fr|"République Française"}}. After his [[Coronation of Napoleon|coronation in 1804]] coins changed the obverse legend to {{lang|fr|"Napoléon Empereur"}}, dropping his family name in the manner of [[regnal name]]s. In 1807, the reverse legend changed to name France as {{lang|fr|"[[First French Empire|Empire Français]]"}}. In analogy with the old {{lang|fr|Louis d'or}} these coins were called [[Napoléon (coin)|gold Napoleons]]. Economically, this sound money was a great success and Napoleon's fall did not change that. Succeeding governments maintained Napoleon's weight standard, with changes in design which traced the political history of France. In particular, this currency system was retained during the [[Bourbon Restoration in France|Bourbon Restoration]] and perpetuated until 1914.

===Latin Monetary Union===
France was a founding member of the [[Latin Monetary Union]] (LMU), a single currency employed primarily by the [[Romance languages|Romance]]-speaking and other [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] states between 1865 and the First World War. The common currency was based on the franc germinal, with the name franc already being used in [[Switzerland]] and [[Belgium]], whilst other countries minted local denominations, redeemable across the bloc with 1-to-1 parity, though with local names: e.g., the [[peseta (disambiguation)|peseta]]. In 1873, the LMU went over to a purely [[gold standard]] of 1 franc = 0.290322581 grams of gold.

===World War I===
[[File:France 03.gif|left|upright=0.6|50 centimes]]
[[File:FrancEuro1907-1959.png|thumb|right|The value of the old French franc, in 2007 [[euro]]s. Years shaded in gold indicate fixing to the [[gold standard]].]]
The outbreak of [[World War I]] caused France to leave the gold standard of the LMU. The war severely undermined the franc's strength: war expenditure, inflation and postwar reconstruction, financed partly by printing ever more money, reduced the franc's [[purchasing power]] by 70% between 1915 and 1920. After a brief appreciation of the franc during the [[Depression of 1920–1921]], it depreciated a further 43% between 1922 and a [[Balanced budget|balancing of the budget]] in 1926. This devaluation was aggravated by the insistence of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. federal government]] and [[World War Foreign Debts Commission Act|World War Foreign Debts Commission]] that France's war debts be repaid within 25 years at a minimal 4.25 percent interest per year. The currency devaluation contributed to French demands for high [[World War I reparations|reparations payments]] from [[Weimar Republic|Germany]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Steiner|first=Zara|title=The lights that failed: European international history, 1919–1933|year=2005|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-151881-2|location=Oxford|oclc=86068902}}</ref> After a brief return to the gold standard between 1928 and 1936, the currency was allowed to resume its slide, until in 1959 it was worth less than 2.5% of its 1934 value.

=== World War II ===
[[File:Moneta FRANCIA 1943.JPG|thumb|right|1 franc, Vichy regime]]
During the [[German military administration in occupied France during World War II|Nazi occupation of France]] (1940–1944), the franc was a satellite currency of the German [[Reichsmark]]. The exchange rate was 20 francs for 1&nbsp;RM. The coins were changed, with the words {{lang|fr|[[Travail, famille, patrie]]}} (Work, Family, Fatherland) replacing the republican triad {{lang|fr|[[Liberté, égalité, fraternité]]}} (liberty, equality, fraternity), with the emblem of the [[Vichy regime]] added.

[[File:FrancEuro1944-1959.png|thumb|right|The value of the old French franc in the post-war period, in 2007 [[euro]]s]]
After the [[liberation of France]], the US attempted to impose the use of the [[US occupation franc]], which was averted by [[Charles de Gaulle|General De Gaulle]].

===Post-War period===
After World War II, France devalued its currency within the [[Bretton Woods system]] on several occasions. Beginning in 1945 at a rate of 480 francs to the [[Pound sterling|British pound]] (119.1 to the [[United States dollar|U.S. dollar]]), by 1949 the rate was 980 to the pound (350 to the dollar). This was reduced further in 1957 and 1958, reaching 1382.3 to the pound (493.7 to the dollar, equivalent to 1 franc = 1.8&nbsp;mg pure gold).
{{clear|left}}

===New franc=== <!-- [[Old franc]], [[New franc]] and [[Ancien franc]] redirect here and are marked {{R to section}} -->
[[File:FrancEuro1960-2002.png|thumb|right|The value of the new French franc, in 2007 euros. Years shaded in light blue indicate fixed exchange rate to the [[euro]].]]
In January 1960 the French franc was revalued, with 100 existing francs making one {{lang|fr|nouveau franc}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=B4873DBB0D81B8C98295729F1D425D8A.tpdjo03v_3?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000339269&categorieLien=id|title=Ordonnance n°58-1341 du 27 décembre 1958 NOUVEAU FRANC|website=Légifrance|language=fr|access-date=5 October 2017}}</ref> 
The abbreviation "NF" was used on the 1958 design banknotes until 1963. Old one- and two-franc coins continued to circulate as new centimes (no new centimes were minted for the first two years). The one-centime coin never circulated widely. Inflation continued to erode the franc's value: between 1950 and 1960, price levels increased 72 per cent (5.7% per year on average); between 1960 and 1970, it increased 51 per cent (4.2%).<ref>[[Otmar Emminger]] (1986). ''DM, Dollar, Währungskrisen – Erinnerungen eines ehemaligen Bundesbankpräsidenten''. p. 75.</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2025}} 
Only one further major devaluation occurred (11% in August 1969) before the [[Bretton Woods system]] was replaced by free-floating exchange rates. When the [[euro]] replaced the franc on 1 January 1999, the franc was worth less than an eighth of its original 1960 purchasing power.{{Citation needed|date=June 2015}}

After revaluation and the introduction of the new franc, many French people continued to use the term "old francs" ({{lang|fr|anciens francs}}) for large sums, for example for the prices of houses, apartments, and cars. This was common until the introduction of the euro and even later. Many people, old and young – even those who had never used the old franc – still quoted prices in old francs, confusing tourists and people abroad.<ref name=anciens>"[P]eople continued to talk in old Francs for large values. They were still doing that in January 2002&nbsp;... In everyday conversation many people around here now [in 2003] operate three different systems depending on the value involved. For prices up to around €100 Euros are used. For higher values Francs are used – New Francs that is, except for values of 10,000 New Francs and more, which are still quoted in old Francs." [https://www.midi-france.info/articles/a_franc.htm "The French Franc and its replacement by the Euro"]. ''Midi France''. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407123701/https://www.midi-france.info/articles/a_franc.htm |date=7 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>"But everyone gets confused above 10 million francs [100&nbsp;000 new francs] and continues to use 'old francs'." ({{lang|la|Mais au-delà de 10 MF, tout le monde s'y perd et continue de parler en «anciens francs».}}) Wolton, Dominique (5 January 1995). {{lang|fr|italic=no|[https://www.liberation.fr/tribune/1995/01/05/anciens-et-nouveaux-francs_121032/ "Anciens et nouveaux francs"]}}. {{lang|fr|Libération}}. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122005135/https://www.liberation.fr/tribune/1995/01/05/anciens-et-nouveaux-francs_121032/|date=22 January 2022}}</ref><ref>"Almost 40 years later, a large part of the population continues to talk in old francs!" ({{lang|fr|Près de quarante ans après, une grande partie de la population continue à parler en anciens francs !}}) Tovi, Laurence (2 December 1997). [https://www.lesechos.fr/1997/12/euro-une-mobilisation-des-citoyens-franchement-tardive-825236 "Euro : une mobilisation des citoyens franchement tardive 12"]. {{lang|fr|Les Echos}}. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122011125/https://www.lesechos.fr/1997/12/euro-une-mobilisation-des-citoyens-franchement-tardive-825236|date=22 January 2022}}</ref> For example, lottery prizes were most often advertised in amounts of centimes, equivalent to the old franc, to inflate the [[Value (marketing)|perceived value]] of the prizes at stake. Multiples of 10&nbsp;NF were occasionally referred to as {{lang|fr|"mille francs"}} (one thousand francs) or {{lang|fr|"mille balles"}} ({{lang|fr|"balle"}} being a slang word for franc) in contexts where it was clear that the speaker did not mean 1,000 new francs.  The expression "heavy franc" ({{lang|fr|franc lourd}}) was also commonly used to designate the new franc.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

All franc coins and banknotes ceased to be [[legal tender]] in January 2002, upon the official adoption of the [[euro]].{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

===Economic and monetary union===
From 1 January 1999, the value exchange rate of the French franc against the euro was set at a fixed parity of €1&nbsp;=&nbsp;6.55957 F. Euro coins and notes replaced the franc entirely between 1 January and 1 March 2002.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

==Coins==

===Before World War I===
{{multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center| align = right| direction = vertical| width = 200| header = French francs from the Consulship period | image1 = France 1803-A 1 Franc.jpg | alt1 = | caption1 = 1803–04 one franc| image2 = France 1803-A 2 Francs.jpg | alt2 = | caption2  = 1803–04 two francs | image3 = France 1803-A 5 Francs.jpg | alt3 = | caption3  = 1803–04 five francs | image4 = France 1803-04-A 20 Francs.jpg | alt4 = | caption4  = 1803–04 gold 20 francs }}
[[File:France 1889-A 100 Francs.jpg|thumb|200px|1889 proof gold 100 francs (only 100 struck)]]
In August 1795, the Monetary Law replaced the ''[[livres tournois|livre]]'' ("pound") with the ''franc'', which was divided into 10 ''décimes'' ("tenths") and 100 ''centimes'' ("hundredths"). [[Copper]] coins were issued in the denominations of 1 centime, 5 centimes, 1 décime, and 2 décimes, designed by [[Augustin Dupré]]. After 1801, French copper coins became rare.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

The 5-centime copper coin was called a ''[[sou (coin)|sou]]'', referring to "sole" (fr. Latin: ''solidus''), until the 1920s.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

An [[First French Empire|Imperial]] 10-décime coin was produced in [[billon (alloy)|billon]] from 1807 to 1810.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

During the [[French Consulate|Consulship]] period (1799–1804) silver francs were struck in decimal coinage.{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=321}} A five-franc coin was first introduced in 1801–02 ([[French Republican Calendar#Converting from the Gregorian Calendar|L'AN]] 10),{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=323}} half-franc, one-franc, and gold 40-franc coins were introduced in 1802–03 (L'AN 11),{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|pp=322–24}} and quarter-franc and two-franc coins in 1803–04 (L'AN 12).{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|pp=321–23}}

The 5-franc silver coin was called an ''[[écu]]'', after the six-livre silver coin of the ''ancien regime'', until the 1880s.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

Copper coins were rarely issued between 1801 and 1848, so the quarter franc was the lowest current denomination in circulation. But during this period, copper coins from earlier periods circulated. A Napoleon 5-centime coin (in [[bell metal]]) and Napoleon and Restoration 1-décime coins were minted.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

Most pre-decimal silver was removed from circulation by 1834. Until they were also demonetized in 1845, 15- and 30-sou coins from 1791-1793 continued to circulate with a value of 0.75 and 1.50 francs, and 18th-century billon coins that had come to be known as “pièces de 6 liards” (originally issued with various values) were valued at 7.5 centimes.<ref>{{cite book |last=Fenwick de Porquet |first=Louis |date=1848 |title=Foreign and English and English and Foreign Ready Reckoner of Monies, Weights and Measures for Nearly All Parts of Europe |publisher=Fenwick de Porquet |page=24-26}}</ref>

A new [[bronze]] coinage was introduced from 1848. The [[French Second Republic|Second Republic]] Monetary Authority minted a 1-centime copper coin with a 1795 design. 2, 5 and 10-centime coins were issued from 1853. The quarter franc was discontinued, with silver 20-centime coins issued between 1849 and 1868 as the smallest silver coin produced in France.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

The gold coinage also changed. 40-franc coins were last struck in 1839 (with just 23 coins minted).{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=345}} Several new denomination were introduced as gold coinage: 5 gold francs (1856),{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=351}} 10 gold francs (1850),{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=348}} 50 gold francs (1855),{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=351}} and 100 gold francs (1855).{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=353}} A second design for the 100 gold franc coin was released in 1878 depicting standing genius writing the constitution.{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=356}} The pictured example (1889) was issued as a proof and only 100 coins were struck.{{Sfn|Cuhaj|2009|p=356}}
 
The last gold 5-franc pieces were minted in 1869, and silver 5-franc coins were last minted in 1878. After 1815, the 20-franc gold coin was called a "[[Napoléon (coin)|napoléon]]" (royalists still called this coin a "[[Louis d'or|louis]]"), and so that is the colloquial term for this coin until the present. During the [[Belle Époque]], the 100-franc gold coin was called a "monaco", referring to the flourishing casino business in [[Monte Carlo]].{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}

Nickel 25-centime coins were introduced in 1903.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

===World War I===
[[World War I]] and the aftermath brought substantial changes to the coinage. Gold coinage was suspended and the franc was debased. Smaller, [[Coinage shapes#Holed|holed]] 5, 10, and 25-centime coins minted in nickel or cupro-nickel were introduced in 1914, finally replacing copper in 1921. In 1920, 1 and 2-centime coins were discontinued and production of silver coinage ceased, with [[aluminium]]-bronze 50-centime, 1-franc, and 2-franc coins introduced. Until 1929, these coins were issued by the [[Chamber of commerce|chambers of commerce]], bearing the phrase ''bon pour'' on it (meaning: "good for"). At the beginning of the 1920s, chambers of commerce also issued small change coins in aluminium. In 1929, the original ''franc germinal'' of 1795 was replaced by the ''franc [[Raymond Poincaré|Poincaré]]'', which was valued at 20% of the 1803 gold standard.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

In 1929, silver coins were reintroduced in 10-franc and 20-franc denominations. A very rare gold 100-franc coin was minted between 1929 and 1936.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

In 1933, a nickel 5-franc coin was minted, but was soon replaced by a large aluminium-bronze 5-franc coin.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

===From World War II to the currency reform===
[[File:French coins zinc & aluminum World War II 1940s.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Vichy France|Vichy French]] zinc and aluminium coins made during World War II. These coins circulated in both Vichy France and the [[zone occupée]].]]

The events of the [[World War II|Second World War]] also affected the coinage substantially. In 1941, aluminium replaced aluminium-[[bronze]] in the 50 centimes, and 1, 2, and 5 francs as [[copper]] and [[nickel]] were diverted into the War Effort. In 1942, following [[German occupation of France|German occupation]] and the installation of the [[Vichy France|French Vichy State]], a new, short lived series of coins was released which included holed 10 and 20 centimes in zinc. 50 centimes, and 1 and 2 francs were aluminium. In 1944 this series was discontinued and withdrawn and the previous issue was resumed.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

Following the war, rapid [[inflation]] caused denominations below 1 franc to be withdrawn from circulation while 10 francs in copper nickel were introduced, followed by reduced size 10-franc coins in aluminium-bronze in 1950, along with 20 and 50-franc coins of the same composition. In 1954, copper-nickel 100 francs were introduced.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

In the 1960s, 1 and 2 (old) franc aluminium coins were still circulating, used as "centimes".{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

{{sticky header}}
{|class="wikitable sortable sticky-header-multi" style="font-size: 90%"
|+Coins of the French franc ("Old franc (1795-1959) issue") 
|-
!rowspan="2" class="unsortable"| Image
!rowspan="2" class="unsortable"| Value
!colspan="4" class="unsortable"| Technical parameters
!colspan="3" class="unsortable"| Description
!rowspan="2" class="unsortable"| Date of first minting
|-
!class="unsortable"| Diameter
!class="unsortable"| Thickness
!class="unsortable"| Mass
!class="unsortable"| Composition
!class="unsortable"| Edge
!class="unsortable"| Obverse
!class="unsortable"| Reverse
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:Centim 1797-98, France, Première République.jpg|250px]]
| 1 centime
| 18&nbsp;mm
| 0.9 mm
| 2 g
| [[Copper]]
| Plain/Smooth
| [[Marianne]]; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE", "Dupré"
| Text "UN CENTIME"
| 1797
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:Centim 1849, France, Second Republic - L-R.jpg|250px]]
| 1 centime
| 18&nbsp;mm
| 0.9 mm
| 2 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Marianne; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE", "Dupré"
| Text "UN CENTIME"
| 1848
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:Sentime 1862, France, Napoleon III - 2.jpg|250px]]
| 1 centime
| 15&nbsp;mm
| 1 mm
| 1 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| [[Napoleon III]]; text "NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR"
| Eagle; text "EMPIRE FRANÇAIS", "UN CENTIME"
| 1853
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:Centime 1877, France, Third Republic.jpg|250px]]
| 1 centime
| 15&nbsp;mm
| 0.8 mm
| 1 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| [[Ceres (mythology)|Ceres]]; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Text "LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ"; "1 CENTIME"
| 1872
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
|
| 1 centime
| 15&nbsp;mm
| 0.8 mm
| 1 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Head of Liberty
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "1 CENTIME"
| 1898
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:Piece 2 centimes 1891.png|250px]]
| 2 centimes
| 20.2&nbsp;mm
| 0.9 mm
| 2 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Ceres; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "2 CENTIMES"
| 1877
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:2 centime 1911, France, Third Republic.jpg|250px]]
| 2 centimes
| 20.2&nbsp;mm
| 0.9 mm
| 2 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Head of Liberty
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "2 CENTIMES"
| 1898
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:5 Centimes 1795-96, France, First Republic.jpg|250px]]
| 5 centimes
| 23&nbsp;mm
| 1.4 mm
| 5 g
| [[Copper]]
| Oblique reeded
| [[Marianne]]; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE", "Dupré"
| Text "5 CENTIMES"
| 1795
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:5centimesDupuis 1912 Fr3eRep.png|250px]]
| 5 centimes
| 25&nbsp;mm
| 1.3 mm
| 5 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Head of Liberty
| Allegory of the Republic protecting her child; text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "5 C"
| 1897
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[File:PièceFrançaise5Centimes1920-Avers.jpg|125px]][[File:PièceFrançaise5Centimes1920-Revers.jpg|125px]]
| 5 centimes
| 19&nbsp;mm
| 1.55 mm
| 3 g
| [[Cupronickel|Copper-nickel]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Monogram "RF" within a wreath divided by a center hole; liberty cap above
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "5 Cmes"
| 1917
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:France, decim 1798-1799, the First Republic.jpg|250px]]
| 10 centimes (1 decime)
| 32&nbsp;mm
| 3&nbsp;mm
| 20 g
| [[Copper]]
| Patterned indentations
| Head of Marianne; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE", "Dupré"
| Text "UN DÉCIME"
| 1795
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:10 centimes Napoléon III 1855 Avers.png|125px]][[Image:10 centimes Napoléon III 1855 Revers.png|125px]]
| 10 centimes
| 30.2&nbsp;mm
| 1.6 mm
| 10 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Napoleon III; text "NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR"
| Eagle; text "EMPIRE FRANÇAIS", "DIX CENTIMES"
| 1852
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:10 centimes 1897, France, Third Republic L-R.jpg|250px]]
| 10 centimes
| 30&nbsp;mm
| 1.4 mm
| 10 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Head of Liberty; text "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Olive branch; text "LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ"; "10 CENTIMES"
| 1870
|- {{Coin-copper-color}}
| [[Image:10 centimes Dupuis 1898.jpg|250px]]
| 10 centimes
| 30&nbsp;mm
| 1.9 mm
| 10 g
| [[Bronze]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Head of Liberty; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Allegory of the Republic protecting her child; text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "10 C"
| 1897
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:10 centimes Lindauer avers.png|128px]][[Image:10 centimes Lindauer revers.png|122px]]
| 10 centimes
| 21.11&nbsp;mm
| 1.9&nbsp;mm
| 3.98 g
| [[Nickel]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Monogram "RF" within a wreath divided by a center hole; liberty cap above
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "10 Cmes"
| 1917
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
|
| 20 centimes
| 24&nbsp;mm
| 2
| 3 g
| [[Zinc]]
| Reeded
| Monogram "RF" within a wreath divided by a center hole; liberty cap above
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "20 Cmes"
| 1945
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:25 centimes Patey (1er type 1903) avers.png|125px]][[Image:25 centimes Patey (1er type 1903) revers.png|125px]]
| 25 centimes
| 24&nbsp;mm
| 1.9 mm
| 7 g
| Nickel
| Plain/Smooth
| Laureate head of Liberty;  text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "25 CENTIMES"
| 1903
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:25 centimes 1905, France, Third Republic.jpg|250px]]
| 25 centimes
| 24&nbsp;mm
| 1.9 mm
| 7 g
| Nickel
| Plain/Smooth
| Laureate head of Liberty;  text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Axe with branches; text "25 CENTIMES"
| 1904
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:Frenchholerev.jpg|126px]][[Image:Frenchholeobv.jpg|123px]]
| 25 centimes
| 24&nbsp;mm
| 1.9 mm
| 7 g
| Nickel
| Plain/Smooth
| Monogram "RF" within a wreath divided by a center hole; liberty cap above
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "25 Cmes"
| 1914
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[File:50 centimes semeuse avers.png|125px]][[File:50 centimes semeuse revers.png|125px]]
| 50 centimes
| 18.2&nbsp;mm
| 1.10 mm
| 2.5 g
| .835 [[Silver]]
| Reeded
| ''[[La Semeuse]]'' ("The Sower"; 1897) by [[Louis-Oscar Roty]]: A woman (model: Charlotte Ragot) wearing [[Phrygian cap]] of liberty, sowing seeds with the sunrise in the background{{efn|name=LaSemeuse|A continuation of the [[Ceres (mythology)|Ceres]] agricultural theme of coins of the 2nd Republic, as well as the revolutionary theme of [[Marianne]] wearing the liberty cap}}; text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Olive branch; text "50 CENTIMES"
| 1897
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
|
| 50 centimes
| 18&nbsp;mm
| 1.23 mm
| 2 g
| [[Copper]]-[[aluminium]]
| Plain/Smooth
| Marianne; text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "50 CENTIMES"
| 1931
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:1 franc 1888, France, Third Republic L-R.jpg|250px]]
| 1 franc
| 23&nbsp;mm
| 1 mm
| 5 g
| .835 Silver
| Reeded
| [[Ceres (mythology)|Ceres]]; text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Olive branch; text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE", "1 FRANC"
| 1871
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[File:1 franc semeuse avers.png|125px]][[File:1 franc semeuse revers.png|125px]]
| 1 franc
| 23&nbsp;mm
| 1.40 mm
| 5 g
| .835 Silver
| Reeded
| ''La Semeuse'' ("The Sower"); text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Olive branch; text "1 FRANC"
| 1898
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
|
| 1 franc
| 23&nbsp;mm
| 1.70 mm
| 4 g
| Copper-aluminium
| Plain/Smooth
| Marianne; text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "1 FRANC"
| 1931
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[File:2 francs Semeuse avers.png|125px]][[File:2 francs Semeuse revers.png|125px]]
| 2 francs
| 27&nbsp;mm
| 2 mm
| 10 g
| .835 Silver
| Reeded
| ''La Semeuse'' ("The Sower"); text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Olive branch; text "2 FRANCS"
| 1898
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
|
| 2 francs
| 27&nbsp;mm
| 2.14 mm
| 8 g
| Copper-aluminium
| Plain/Smooth
| Marianne; text RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "2 FRANCS"
| 1931
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:France, 5 franc, 1868 - Napoleon III - 2.jpg|250px]]
| 5 francs
| 37&nbsp;mm
| 2.6 mm
| 25 g
| .900 Silver
| Plain/Lettered (★ DIEU ★ PROTEGE ★ LA ★ FRANCE)
| Napoleon III; text "NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR", "BARRE"
| Coat of arms; text "5F", "EMPIRE FRANÇAIS"
| 1861
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:5 franc, 1873 (Hercule) - French Fifth Republic.jpg|250px]]
| 5 francs
| 37&nbsp;mm
| 2.6 mm
| 25 g
| .900 Silver
| Plain/Lettered (★ DIEU ★ PROTEGE ★ LA ★ FRANCE)
| Hercules group; text LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ
| Text "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"; "5 FRANCS"
| 1870
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:5 francs français 1936.jpg|250px]]
| 5 francs
| 31&nbsp;mm
| 2.1 mm
| 12 g
| Nickel
| Plain/Smooth
| Laureate head; text REPUBLIQVE FRANÇAISE
| Monogram "RF"; text "5 FRANCS"
| 1933
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
| [[Image:Marianne-Coq-1906-10 F-2.jpg |250px]]
| 10 francs
| 19&nbsp;mm
| 0.8 mm
| 3.2258 g
| .900 [[Gold]]
| Reeded
| Head of Marianne; text REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Cockerel; text LIBERTE · EGALITE · FRATERNITE; "10 Fcs"
| 1899
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
|
| 10 francs
| 28&nbsp;mm
| 2.01 mm
| 10 g
| .680 Silver
| Reeded
| Laureate head; text REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Ears of wheat; text "10 FRANCS"; LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE
| 1929
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
| [[Image:1958 10FrenchFrancs.jpg|250px]]
| 10 francs
| 20&nbsp;mm
| 1.64 mm
| 3 g
| Copper-aluminium
| Plain/Smooth
| Marianne wearing the tricolor [[cockade of France]]; text REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| [[Gallic rooster|Cockerel]]; laurel branch; text "10 FRANCS"; LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE
| 1950
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
| [[Image:20-franc piece of the French Republic, 1907 MET SF08 146 2 img1.jpg|125px]][[Image:20-franc piece of the French Republic, 1907 MET SF08 146 2 img2.jpg|125px]]
| 20 francs
| 21&nbsp;mm
| 1.25 mm
| 6.45 g
| .900 Gold
| Plain/Lettered (*++* DIEU *+ PROTEGE+* LA FRANCE)
| Marianne; text REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Cockerel; text LIBERTE · EGALITE · FRATERNITE ·; 20 Fcs
| 1898
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:20 francs Turin Avers.png|125px]][[Image:20 francs Turin Revers.png|125px]]
| 20 francs
| 35&nbsp;mm
| 2.44 mm
| 20 g
| .680 Silver
| Reeded
| Laureate head; text REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Ears of wheat; text "20 FRANCS"; LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE
| 1929
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
| [[Image:Monnaie. 20 francs (France), Gouvernement provisoire et Quatrième république - btv1b104156845 (1 of 2).jpg|125px]][[Image:Monnaie. 20 francs (France), Gouvernement provisoire et Quatrième république - btv1b104156845 (2 of 2).jpg|125px]]
| 20 francs
| 23.50&nbsp;mm
| 1.66 mm
| 4 g
| Copper-aluminium
| Plain/Smooth
| Female head; text REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Cockerel; laurel branch; text "20 FRANCS"; LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE
| 1950
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
|
| 50 francs
| 28&nbsp;mm
| 
| 16.12903 g
| .900 Gold
| Plain/Lettered (DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE)
| Genius of Liberty writing a tablet; text "CONSTITUTION"; "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Oak wreath; text "LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ"; "50 FRANCS"
| 1878
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
| [[Image:50 francs 52 B revers.jpg|125px]][[Image:50 francs 52 B avers.jpg|125px]]
| 50 francs
| 27&nbsp;mm
| 2.24 mm
| 8 g
| Copper-aluminium
| Plain/Smooth
| Female head; text REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
| Cockerel; laurel branch; text "50 FRANCS"; LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE
| 1950
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
| [[Image:FRA 100F 03R GD 1906A.JPG|250px]]
| 100 francs
| 35&nbsp;mm
| 2.3 mm
| 32.25806 g
| .900 Gold
| Plain/Lettered (DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE)
| Genius of Liberty writing a tablet; text "CONSTITUTION"; "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Oak wreath; text "LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ"; "100 FRANCS"
| 1878
|- {{Coin-yellow-color}}
|
| 100 francs
| 35&nbsp;mm
| 
| 32.25806 g
| .900 Gold
| Plain/Lettered (**LIBERTE * ÉGALITÉ * FRATERNITÉ)
| Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap decorated with a cockade; text "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Ear of corn, an olive branch and an oak branch; text "100 FRANCS"
| 1929
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Image:100 French francs 1955 (2).jpg|128px]][[Image:100 French francs 1955 (1).jpg|122px]]
| 100 francs
| 24&nbsp;mm
| 1.85 mm
| 6 g
| Copper-nickel
| Reeded
| Bust of Liberty holding a torch; text "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"
| Olive branch and wheat; text "LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE"; "100 FRANCS"
| 1954
|-
|}

===New franc===
In 1960, the new franc (''{{lang|fr|nouveau franc}}'') was introduced,<ref>1958 Monetary Law Reform voted along with the Fifth Republic Constitution.</ref> worth 100 old francs. [[Stainless steel]] 1 and 5 centimes, aluminium-bronze 10, 20, and 50 centimes, nickel 1 franc and silver 5 francs were introduced. Silver 10-franc coins were introduced in 1965, followed by a new, smaller aluminium-bronze 5-centime and a smaller nickel {{frac|1|2}}-franc coin in 1966.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

A first attempt to introduce a nickel 2-franc coin in 1960 failed.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

Nickel-clad copper-nickel 5-franc and nickel-brass 10-franc coins replaced their silver counterparts in 1970 and 1974, respectively. Nickel 2 francs were finally introduced in 1979, followed by bimetallic 10 francs in 1988 and trimetallic 20 francs in 1992. The 20-franc coin was composed of two rings and a centre plug.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
{{Coin image box 1 double
| header = 20 [[Centime]] with [[Marianne]] on Obverse.
| image = File:20 Centimes (France).jpg
| caption_left = '''Obverse''':  Marianne wearing the [[Phrygian cap]] of liberty
| caption_right = '''Reverse''': Face value and French motto: "[[Liberté, égalité, fraternité]]"
| width = 300
| footer = This coin was minted from 1962 to 2001.
| position = right
| margin = 0
}}
[[File:Fransiz frangi madeni paralari.PNG|thumb|right|350px|French franc coins (1960–1999)]]

A nickel 10-franc piece was issued on 22 October 1986, in an attempt to increase usability, reduce counterfeiting, and make it easier for vending machines to recognise. While 120 million were released into circulation, circulation was halted on 26 November due to confusion with the half-franc and an unpopular design. The coin was subsequently withdrawn on 19 December and became demonetized at the end of June the next year.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-12-31-mn-1475-story.html |title=Short-Lived French Coin Is a Dealer's Delight |last=Meisler |first=Stanley |work=Los Angeles Times |date=31 December 1986 |access-date=21 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-03-01-ca-6686-story.html |title=The Little 10-France Coin That Couldn't |last=Blume |first=Mary |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1 March 1987 |access-date=21 February 2022}}</ref> This led to the conception of the later bimetallic model. The aluminium-bronze pieces continued to circulate until the bimetallic pieces were developed and additional aluminium-bronze coins were minted to replace those initially withdrawn. Once the bimetallic coins were circulating and produced in necessary quantities, the aluminium-bronze pieces were gradually withdrawn and demonetized.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

A .900 silver 50-franc piece was issued from 1974 to 1980, known as the largest silver coin ever minted in France, (due to its face value in accordance to its size) but was withdrawn and demonetized after the price of silver spiked in 1980. Then, in 1982, a 100-franc piece, also in .900 silver, was issued, and circulated to a small extent, until the introduction of the euro.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

All French franc coins were demonetized in 2005 and are no longer redeemable at the {{lang|fr|[[Banque de France]]}}.

At the time of the complete changeover to the euro on 1 January 2002, coins in circulation (some produced as recently as 2000) were:

* 1 centime (~ 0.15 euro cents) stainless steel, rarely circulated (last production stopped first in 1982, then in 1987 due to high production cost, and lack of demand due to its very low value).
* 5 centimes (~ 0.76 cents) aluminium-bronze
* 10 centimes (~ 1.52 cents) aluminium-bronze
* 20 centimes (~ 3.05 cents) aluminium-bronze
* {{frac|1|2}} franc (~ 7.6 cents) nickel
* 1 franc (~ 15.2 cents) nickel
* 2 francs (~ 30.5 cents) nickel
* 5 francs (~ 76 cents) nickel-clad copper-nickel
* 10 francs (~ €1.52) bimetallic
* 20 francs (~ €3.05) trimetallic, rarer (produced for a short period before the euro, the banknote equivalent was much more frequently used)
* [[:fr:Pièce de 100 francs Panthéon|100 francs]] (~ €15.24) silver, rarely circulated (most often bought and offered as personal gifts, but rare in commercial transactions, now worth more than its face value).
{{See also|:fr:Liste des émissions de franc français depuis 1960{{!}}List of French franc issues since 1960}}

{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; font-size:87%; border-width:1px;"
|-
! colspan="12"| Last circulating coins
|-
! colspan=2 | Image
! rowspan=2 | Value
! rowspan=2 | Euro<br/>{{abbr|equi.|equivalent}}
! colspan=4 | Technical parameters
! colspan=3 | Description
! rowspan=2 | Issued<br/>from
|-
! Obverse
! Reverse
! Diameter<br/>(mm)
! Mass<br/>(g)
! colspan=2 | Composition
! Edge
! Obverse
! Reverse
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:1centime1968avers.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:1centime1968revers.png|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce de 1 centime épi|1 c]]
| align=center | €0.001
| align=center | 15.00
| align=center | 1.65
| style="background-color:#dcdcdc;"|
| [[Stainless steel]]
| rowspan=4 | Smooth
| [[Wheat]];<br/>Lettering:<br/>''République Française''
| Value; year of issue
| 1960–2001
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:5centimes1996avers3plis.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:5centimes1996revers.png|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce de 5 centimes Marianne|5 c]]
| align=center | €0.01
| align=center | 17.00
| align=center | 2.00
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#ffe550;" |
| rowspan=3 | [[Aluminium bronze]]
| rowspan=3 | [[Marianne]]<br/>([[Henri Lagriffoul]]);<br/>Lettering:<br/>''République Française''
| rowspan=3 | [[Olive]] branch, [[wheat]] ear;<br/>Value; year of issue; Lettering:<br/>''[[Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité]]''
| 1966–2001
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:10centimes1984avers.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:10 Centimes (1969) - Vorderseite.jpg|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce de 10 centimes Marianne|10 c]]
| align=center | €0.02
| align=center | 20.00
| align=center | 3.00
| rowspan="2" | 1962–2001
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:20centimes1997avers.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:20 Centimes (1990) - Vorderseite.jpg|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce de 20 centimes Marianne|20 c]]
| align=center | €0.03
| align=center | 23.50
| align=center | 4.00
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:Demi-franc1973avers.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:Demi-franc1973revers.png|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce d'un demi-franc Semeuse|{{frac|1|2}} F]]
| align=center | €0.08
| align=center | 19.50
| align=center | 4.50
| rowspan="4" style="background-color:#dcdcdc;" |
| rowspan=3 | [[Nickel]]
| rowspan=4 | Reeded
| rowspan=4|''[[La Semeuse]]''<br/>([[Louis-Oscar Roty]]);<br/>Lettering:<br/>''République Française''
| rowspan=3 | [[Olive]] branch;<br/>Value; year of issue; Lettering:<br/>''[[Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité]]''
| 1965–2001
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:1Franc1999avers.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:1Franc1999revers.png|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce de 1 franc Semeuse (1960)|1 F]]
| align=center | €0.15
| align=center | 24.00
| align=center | 6.00
| 1960–2001
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:2 French francs Semeuse nickel 1980 F272-4 obverse.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:2 French francs Semeuse nickel 1980 F272-4 reverse.png|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce de 2 francs Semeuse (1979)|2 F]]
| align=center | €0.31
| align=center | 26.60
| align=center | 7.50
| 1979–2001
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:5 French francs Semeuse nickel 1970 F341-2 obverse.png|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:5 French francs Semeuse nickel 1970 F341-2 reverse.png|75px]]
| [[:fr:Pièce de 5 francs Semeuse (1960)|5 F]]
| align=center | €0.76
| align=center | 29.00
| align=center | 10.00
| [[Nickel]]-clad<br/>[[cupronickel]]
| [[Olive]] and [[oak]] branch,<br/>[[wheat]] ear;<br/>Value; year of issue; Lettering:<br/>''[[Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité]]''
| 1970–2001
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:10Francs1990avers.png|75px]]
| rowspan=2 style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:10Francs2000revers.png|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[:fr:Pièce de 10 francs Génie de la Bastille|10 F]]
| rowspan=2 align=center | €1.52
| rowspan=2 align=center | 23.50
| rowspan=2 align=center | 6.50
| style="background-color:#ffe550;"|
| Outer:<br/>[[Aluminium bronze]]
| rowspan=5 | Interrupted<br/>reeding
| rowspan=2 | ''[[:fr:Le Génie de la Liberté|Le Génie de la Liberté]]'';<br/>Lettering: ''RF''
| rowspan=5 | Value; year of issue; Lettering:<br/>''Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité''
| rowspan=2 | 1988–2001
|-
| style="background-color:#dcdcdc;"|
| Inner: [[Nickel]]
|-
| rowspan=3 style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:20Francs1992avers.png|75px]]
| rowspan=3 style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:20Francs1992revers.png|75px]]
| rowspan=3 | [[:fr:Pièce de 20 francs Mont-Saint-Michel|20 F]]
| rowspan=3 align=center | €3.05
| rowspan=3 align=center | 27.00
| rowspan=3 align=center | 9.00
| style="background-color:#ffe550;"|
| Outer:<br/>[[Aluminium bronze]]
| rowspan=3 | [[Mont-Saint-Michel]];<br/>Lettering:<br/>''République Française''
| rowspan=3 | 1992–2001
|-
| style="background-color:#dcdcdc;"|
| Inner: [[Nickel]]
|-
| style="background-color:#ffe550;"|
| Plug:<br/>[[Aluminium bronze]]
|}

===Euro exchange===
Coins were freely exchangeable until 17 February 2005 at [[Banque de France]] only (commercial banks were not required to accept the old coins after the transition period in 2002, but some did), by converting their total value in francs to euros (rounded to the nearest cent) at the fixed rate of 6.55957 francs for 1 euro. Banknotes remained convertible up until 17 February 2012.<ref name=timelimits>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/exchange/html/index.en.html|title=Exchanging national cash|website=European Central Bank|access-date=5 October 2017}}</ref> By that date, franc notes worth some €550 million remained unexchanged, allowing the French state to register the corresponding sum as revenue.<ref>{{cite news|last=Erlanger|first=Steven|title=As Old Francs Expire, France Makes a Small Mint|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/world/europe/as-old-francs-expire-france-makes-a-small-mint.html|access-date=19 February 2012|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=19 February 2012}}</ref>

==Banknotes==
[[File:FRA-A80-République Française-1000 francs (1795).jpg|thumb|République Française – 1000 francs (1795)]]
[[File:FRA-78-Banque de France-100 Francs (1927).jpg|thumb|Banque de France – 100 francs (1927)]]
The first franc paper money issues were made in 1795. They were [[assignat]]s in denominations between 100 and 10,000 francs. These followed in 1796 by "territorial mandate promises" for 25 up to 500 francs. The treasury also issued notes that year for 25 up to 1000 francs.

In 1800, the Bank of France began issuing notes, first in denominations of 500 and 1000 francs. In the late 1840s, 100 and 200-franc notes were added, while 5, 20 and 50 francs were added in the 1860s and 70s, although the 200-franc note was discontinued.

The First World War saw the introduction of 10 and 1000-franc notes. The chambers of commerce's [[notgeld]] ("money of necessity"), from 1918 to 1926, produced 25c, 50c, 1&nbsp;F, 2&nbsp;F, 5&nbsp;F, and 10&nbsp;F notes.

Despite base-metal 5, 10 and 20&nbsp;F coins being introduced between 1929 and 1933, the banknotes were not removed. In 1938, the first 5000-franc notes were added.

In 1944, the [[US occupation franc|liberating Allies]] introduced dollar-like paper money in denominations between 2 and 1000 francs, as well as a brass 2-franc coin.

After the Second World War, 5, 10 and 20-franc notes were replaced by coins in 1950, as were the 50- and 100-franc notes in the mid-1950s. In 1954, the 10,000-franc notes were introduced.

In 1959, [[banknote]]s in circulation when the old franc was replaced by the new franc were:
*500 francs: [[Victor Hugo]]
*1000 francs: [[Cardinal de Richelieu]]
*5000 francs: [[Henri IV]]
*10,000 francs: [[Napoleon|Bonaparte 1st consul]]

The first issue of the new franc consisted of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10,000-franc notes overprinted with their new denominations of 5, 10, 50 and 100 new francs. This issue was followed by notes of the same design but with only the new denomination shown. A 500-new franc note was also introduced in 1960 representing [[Molière]], replaced in 1969 by the yellow [[Blaise Pascal|Pascal]] type (colloquially called a ''pascal''). A 5-franc note was issued until 1970 and a 10-franc note (showing [[Hector Berlioz]]) was issued until 1979. 

From 1992 until 1998, a series of redesigned banknotes by [[Roger Pfund]] was issued, to be the last notes before the introduction of the euro. Banknotes in circulation when the franc was replaced were:<ref name=exchange>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/exchange/fr/html/index.en.html|title=France|website=European Central Bank|access-date=5 October 2017}}</ref>

* 20 francs (€3.05): [[Claude Achille Debussy]] – brown-purple (introduced 1983)
* 50 francs (€7.62): [[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]]— blue (introduced 20 October 1993, replacing [[Maurice Quentin de la Tour]])
* 100 francs (€15.24): [[Paul Cézanne]] — orange (introduced 15 December 1997, replacing [[Eugène Delacroix]] and originally intended to feature [[Gustave Eiffel]])
* 200 francs (€30.49): [[Gustave Eiffel]] — red (introduced 29 October 1996, replacing [[Montesquieu]] and [[:fr:Billet de 200 francs Gustave Eiffel#Remarques|originally intended]] to depict [[Auguste and Louis Lumière|the Lumière brothers]])
* 500 francs (€76.22): [[Pierre Curie|Pierre]] and [[Marie Curie]] — green (introduced 22 March 1995, replacing [[Blaise Pascal]])

Banknotes current at changeover to the Euro could be exchanged at the French central bank or other services until 17 February 2012.

Most older series banknotes were exchangeable for 10 years from date of withdrawal. As the last banknote from the previous series was withdrawn on 1 February 1999 (100 francs, Delacroix), the deadline for its exchange was 31 January 2009. 

===1969–1982 issue===
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; font-size:90%; border-width:1px;"
|-
! colspan=2| Image
! rowspan=2| Value
! rowspan=2| Euro<br/>equivalent
! rowspan=2| Dimensions<br/>(mm)
! colspan=2| Description
! colspan=2| Date of
|-
! Obverse
! Reverse
! Obverse
! Reverse
! issue
! withdrawal
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:10 francs Berlioz-rev.jpg|75px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:10 francs Berlioz-anv.jpg|75px]]
| align="center"| 10&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €1.52
| rowspan="2" align="center" | 140 × 75
| [[Hector Berlioz]],<br/>[[Les Invalides]]
| Berlioz,<br/>[[Villa Medici]]
| 23 November 1972
| 15 September 1986
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:20 Francs (1986) - Vorderseite.jpg|80px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:20 Francs (1986) - Rückseite.jpg|80px]]
| align="center"| 20&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €3.05
| [[Claude-Achille Debussy|Claude Debussy]],<br/>''[[La mer (Debussy)|La Mer]]''
| Debussy,<br/>''[[Pelléas et Mélisande (opera)|Pelléas et Mélisande]]''
| 6 October 1981
| 17 February 2002
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:50 francs Quentin de La Tour-rev.jpg|85px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:50 francs Quentin de La Tour-anv.jpg|85px]]
| align="center"| 50&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €7.62
| align="center"| 150 × 80
| [[Maurice Quentin de la Tour]],<br/>[[Palace of Versailles]]
| Quentin de la Tour,<br/>[[Hôtel de Ville, Saint-Quentin|Hôtel de Ville]]
| 4 April 1977
| 30 November 1995
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:100 francia frank bankjegy Delacroix-típus előoldal.jpg|90px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:100 francia frank bankjegy Delacroix-típus hátoldal.jpg|90px]]
| align="center"| 100&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €15.24
| align="center"| 160 × 85
| [[Eugène Delacroix]],<br/>''[[Liberty Leading the People]]'' 
| Delacroix,<br/>Place Furstenberg, Paris
| 2 August 1979
| 1 February 1999
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:France 200 francs 1983-a.jpg|95px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:France 200 francs 1983-b.jpg|95px]]
| align="center"| 200&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €30.49
| align="center"| 172 × 92
| [[Montesquieu]], Justicia
| Montesquieu,<br/>[[Château de la Brède]]
| 7 July 1982
| 1 April 1998
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:France_500_francs_1987-a.jpg|100px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:France_500_francs_1987-b.jpg|100px]]
| align="center"| 500&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €76.22
| align="center"| 180 × 97
| [[Blaise Pascal]],<br/>St. Jacques tower, Paris
| Pascal,<br/>[[Port-Royal-des-Champs]]
| 7 January 1969
| 1 March 1997
|-
|}

===1993–1998 issue===
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; font-size:90%; border-width:1px;"
|-
! colspan=2| Image
! rowspan=2| Value
! rowspan=2| Euro<br/>equivalent
! rowspan=2| Dimensions<br/>(mm)
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Main colour
! colspan=2| Description
! colspan=2| Date of
|-
! Obverse
! Reverse
! Obverse
! Reverse
! printing
! issue
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:50 Francs (1994) - Vorderseite.jpg|85px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:50 Francs (1994) - Rückseite.jpg|85px]]
| align="center"| 50&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €7.62
| align="center"| 123 x 80
| style="background:#015494;"|
| Blue
| [[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]]
| ''Breguet 14'' biplane
| 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999
| 20 October 1993
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:100 Francs (1997) - Vorderseite.jpg|90px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:100 Francs (1997) - Rückseite.jpg|90px]]
| align="center"| 100&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €15.24
| align="center"| 133 x 80
| style="background:#b86500;"|
| Orange
| [[Paul Cézanne]]
| ''Fruit'' by Cézanne
| {{ubl|1997|1998}}
| 15 December 1997
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:200 Francs (1995) - Vorderseite.jpg|95px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:200 Francs (1995) - Rückseite.jpg|95px]]
| align="center"| 200&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €30.49
| align="center"| 143 x 80
| style="background:#b50202;"|
| Red
| [[Gustave Eiffel]]
| Base of the [[Eiffel Tower]]
| 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999
| 29 October 1996
|-
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:500 Francs (1995) - Vorderseite.jpg|100px]]
| style="background:#000; text-align:center;"| [[File:500 Francs (1995) - Rückseite.jpg|100px]]
| align="center"| 500&nbsp;F
| align="center"| €76.22
| align="center"| 153 x 80
| style="background:#008000;"|
| Green
| [[Marie Curie]]<br/>[[Pierre Curie]]
| Laboratory utensils
| 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000
| 22 March 1995
|-
|}

==''De facto'' currency==
Along with the [[Spanish peseta]], the French franc was also a [[de facto currency|''de facto'' currency]] used in [[Andorra]] (which had no national currency with legal tender). It circulated alongside the [[Monegasque franc]] in [[Monaco]], with which it had equal value. These currencies were all replaced by the euro in 2002.

==See also==
*[[French euro coins]]
*[[Economy of France]]
*[[Napoléon (coin)]]
*[[Evolution of stamp prices in France]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{Cite book |editor-last=Cuhaj |editor-first=George S. |year=2009 |title=Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801–1900 |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1440228019 |edition=6th |publisher=Krause |isbn=978-0-89689-940-7 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/business/2001/euro_cash/spent_currencies/f_franc.stm Overview of French franc from the BBC]
*[http://www.frenchbanknotes.com/france.php Banknotes of France]
*[https://www.statbureau.org/en/france/inflation-calculators French franc (1951–1999) and euro (1999–ongoing) inflation calculators and charts]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150801152914/http://banknoter.com/s/france/ Banknotes of France: Detailed Catalog of French Francs]
*[http://www.bis-ans-ende-der-welt.net/Frankreich-B-En.htm Historical banknotes of France] {{in lang|en|de}}
*[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/franc Franc – currency] at [[Merriam-Webster]]

{{n-start|title=New franc}}
{{n-before|currency=Old franc|ratio=1 new franc = 100 old francs}}
{{n-currency|location=France|start=1960|end=2002}}
{{n-after|currency=[[Euro]]|reason=deployment of euro cash|ratio=1 euro = 6.55957 francs}}
{{n-end}}

{{Historical currencies of France}}
{{Franc}}
{{France topics}}
{{Currency signs}}
{{Euro topics}}
{{Portal bar|Europe|France|Money|Numismatics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:French Franc}}
[[Category:Economic history of France]]
[[Category:Medieval currencies]]
[[Category:Currencies replaced by the euro]]
[[Category:Currencies of Europe]]
[[Category:Currencies of Andorra]]
[[Category:1860 establishments in France]]
[[Category:2001 disestablishments in France]]
[[Category:Currencies of Monaco]]
[[Category:Currencies of France]]
[[Category:Currency symbols]]