Morocco - Pick-20 - 100 Moroccan Francs - 1941 dated Foreign Paper Money

Pick #20, 100 Francs. Front and back shown.

The Moroccan franc, introduced in 1921 after the establishment of the French protectorate in 1912, served as the official currency of French Morocco. By 1957, it had become the currency of the entire country. The franc replaced the Moroccan rial at a rate of 1 rial to 10 francs. It was divided into 100 centimes and was part of the broader French franc area. During its tenure, it circulated alongside Algerian banknotes before establishing its own unique bank-issued and locally controlled banknotes in the early 1920s.

Following Morocco’s independence in 1956, the country aimed to achieve economic autonomy. This led to the reintroduction of the Moroccan dirham on October 16, 1960, at a rate of 1 dirham to 100 francs. Despite this, the Moroccan franc continued to circulate alongside the new currency as a sub-unit for over a decade. The franc was officially phased out in 1974, replaced by the centime as the subdivision of the dirham. Today, the franc is a remnant of Morocco’s colonial past, while the dirham, managed by Bank Al-Maghrib, serves as the modern, independent currency.