PMG's Featured Note of the Month: France 200 Francs

France, Banque de France, Pick# 159a, 1995-96, 200 Francs, front Graded PMG 68 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ. Click image to enlarge.

France, Banque de France, Pick# 159a, 1995-96, 200 Francs, back Graded PMG 68 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ. Click image to enlarge.

Country: France

Catalog Number: Pick# 159

Date: 1995-1999

Denomination: 200 Francs

Varieties: Three different varieties: a, b and c. Each differentiate between their signature combinations and dates.

What makes it special? Gustave Eiffel was the designer of the Eiffel Tower and appears on this 200 Franc note.

Why is it interesting now? The Eiffel Tower opened to the public on May 6, 1889. However, the official opening day was on March 31, 1889, where the tower was open to a select private party. The lifts were not installed until May 26. It was the main attraction for the World’s Fair in Paris. During the exposition, nearly 2 million people visited the attraction.

Did you know? The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world (984 feet or 300 meters, without the antenna) until the Chrysler building in 1930. It even had an apartment at the top that Eiffel used to entertain guests and conduct experiments.

Total graded by PMG: 242 total notes - a breakdown of all varieties: (a) 122 (b) 68 (c) 52.

PMG median grade: The median grade for these notes across all varieties is a 66.

PMG highest graded: The highest (a) is a PMG 69 Superb Gem Unc EPQ, while PMG 68 Superb Gem EPQ are both the (b) and (c) highest graded.

Sales highlights: Expect to pay around $100 for a PMG 66 EPQ.

PMG Registry Champion: FrenchZebra has the highest score in the Banque De France set.

Related Articles

• PMG's Featured Note of the Month: April 2020
• PMG's Featured Note of the Month: March 2020
• PMG's Featured Note of the Month: February 2020
• PMG's Featured Note of the Month: January 2020

If you’d like to see more articles about paper money, sign up for free to become a member of the PMG Collectors Society and then choose the PMG and related e-newsletters to be delivered to your inbox.