lc2019 - La cote des billets de la Banque de France et du Trésor 2019 FAYETTE Claude, DESSAL Jean-Marc

In 1987, Claude Fayette, an avid collector of French banknotes, published his first book, Les Billets Français du XXe siècle. Many other editions and variations by the same author followed: Les Billets du XIXe siècle, Les Billets Français du Trésor, Les Billets de la Banque de France et du Trésor and lastly La Cote des Billets de la Banque de France et du Trésor in paperback. In 30 years, thanks to his knowledge and to the seriousness of his publications, the collecting of French notes developed and became specialized. The so-called Fayette is now the classification and quotation reference guide for French notes – a worldwide-known reference.
Claude Fayette recently decided to entrust CGB Numismatique Paris, and more particularly Jean-Marc Dessal, with the upcoming developments of his work with a view to offering a new publication to collectors. While it respects past editions and guarantees the continuity of references and archive data, this new book is fully updated. It integrates recent statistical data and new finds and reflects the French and foreign market reality.
Jean-Marc Dessal has been in charge of CGB Numismatique Paris’ Banknotes Department for more than 25 years now. He has prepared more than 120 sales catalogs, reviewed and presented the most prestigious collections to collectors, written dozens of informative articles and possesses an extensive database, all of which gives him a vision of current and future markets which is as close as possible to market reality. This book thus stems from the merger between collectors and professionals. By offering reliable information and up-to-date quotes, it meets the true expectations of hobbyists.

As with Le Franc (paperback edition), we made two important choices: a reduced and handy format, and a bilingual French-English edition offering collectors worldwide the possibility to get to know the Banque de France’s and the Trésor’s notes with the most comprehensive tool possible.
The 2019 paperback edition of La Cote des Billets de la Banque de France et du Trésor is intended for all beginners or accomplished collectors. Its first pages provide educational information and list the basics of “how to collect properly”. Quotations are provided for all of the 19th c. issuances (less the lines we decided to remove), and then for all the 20th c. issuances, from the 5 Francs Noir note to the 500 Francs Pierre et Marie Curie. Lastly, the chapter on the Trésor’s notes is more comprehensive and detailed than in the previous editions.

Each note comes with an illustration and a description. All the necessary information for its classification is clearly provided: its dates of issuance, signatures, format, the number of notes issued, and a brief description. As a whole, the Fayette’s classic references have been kept and each quotation line is now comprised of 6 columns, from grade Very Good to grade Uncirculated.

Other innovations were introduced in order to better stick to today’s market. We quoted alphabets A.1, specified the known variants of specimens and added the most classic proof notes. As for the section about error notes from the latest range of notes, it was thoroughly revised in order to make it easier to understand. The Trésor’s issuances are listed by series and/or alphabetical order.

Given that the former edition of the Cote des Billets dates from 2015, the 2,700 quotation lines were all revised for the 2019 paperback edition. There are numerous corrections and updates which give the most realistic and in-depth vision of the actual market – as much for common low-graded notes as for great rarities.
French notes are undergoing tremendous changes. More and more statistics are available, research works from collectors proliferate and specializations are shaking up prices. The 2019 edition of La Cote des Billets de la Banque de France et du Trésor is intended to be both a picture of today’s market and a vision of this collection’s future which is full of surprises and passionate feelings.

This French-English bilingual edition will be an even greater opening to an international audience. Internet makes buying and selling worldwide possible, but every participant in these exchanges needs to rely on a solid and consistent foundation, as well as an indispensable and reliable reference.
Over 30 years, the Fayette has built up a house for French collectors, where everyone feels confident. But things are moving fast outside in the real world with non-stop changes. Many foreign enthusiasts are passionate about French notes for their good quality and their beauty, even though they sometimes do not fully grasp all their possibilities and many variants. With this new paperback edition of La Cote des Billets de la Banque de France et du Trésor, CGB Numismatique Paris is now opening its doors with the resolve to go and meet such collectors.
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