1796 French Republic 25 Francs Mandat Territorial Pick A83b Lafaurie 200 For Sale

Paper money backed by land seized from the crown and the church, issued to prop up a currency system that had already collapsed. This 25 francs mandat territorial dates to 18 March 1796 (28 Ventôse An 4), hand-numbered and hand-signed, laid paper, chain lines, and blind embossing all intact. Guaranteed authentic as described; 30-day returns accepted.

• Issuing Authority: Trésorerie Nationale, French Republic (Directory), Paris
• Denomination: Twenty-five Francs (25 F)
• Date: 18 March 1796 (28 Ventôse An 4); Série 37
• Catalog Reference: Pick A83b / Lafaurie 200
• Printer / Engraver: Nicolas Marie Gatteaux (Paris, 1751-1832), per Musée Carnavalet catalog records
• Format: Issued, hand-numbered and hand-signed for circulation
• Serial Number: N. 13508
• Signatures: Bugarel, printed control signature under Vu au Contrôle; hand signature reading Duvoise (apparent) in period ink, aged.
• Security Features: Laid paper with visible chain lines; blind embossing (timbre sec); talon (counterfoil) retained at left; no watermark
• Dimensions: approx. 254 x 102 mm

• Paper Body: Thin, limp laid paper with intact chain lines visible under transmitted light; no evidence of washing or pressing, surface reads original.
• Folds and Creases: Soft, relaxed vertical folds consistent with long flat storage, no hard fiber-breaking creases identified. A separate split enters near the left edge and runs roughly 40-50mm into the serial and control-signature panel, a genuine separation. It\'s not a clear split all the way to the edge, but it\'s close.
• Surface and Color: Obverse pale off-white to light grey with even light toning. Reverse shows scattered reddish-brown foxing or stains at center and right along with grey soiling. Letterpress ink holds strong density throughout; manuscript ink is legible with some lightening near the talon edge.
• Margins and Edges: Hand-cut, irregular deckle-like top edge; registration sits shifted left, leaving an very wide plain margin at right. Left edge irregular with loss into the manuscript at the point of separation from the counterfoil.
• Repairs and Alterations: None; no tape, fills, trimming, or reinforcement.
• Signature/Serial Ink: Hand signature and serial number in brown or faded black ink, legible throughout with no abnormal fade for this age.

Ships in a Mylar currency sleeve backed with acid-free mat board in a rigid photo mailer. Sleeve is sized for safe transit and archival storage; may be larger than the note. Typically ships within one business day. Rates to Alaska and Hawaii differ from continental US; please message for quote. International shipping available through \'s Global Shipping Program.

Mandats territoriaux were issued by the French Directory beginning in 1796 as land-warrants nominally redeemable in property confiscated from the crown, clergy, and church after 1789, meant to replace the collapsed assignat system. Roughly 800 million francs entered circulation within the first months against some 24 billion francs of outstanding assignats, exchanged at a rate of 30 to 1. The notes depreciated within months, lost legal-tender status in February 1797, and were repudiated by the state that May, giving the entire system a working life of about fourteen months.