...French Pacific Territories - 500 and 1000 Francs Reprints ND2018

French Pacific Territories
(Polynesie Francaise, Nouvelle-Celedonie & Wallis-et-Futuna)

(French Polynesia, New Caledonia & Wallis and Futuna Islands since 2003)

Institut d’Emission d’Outre-Mer
 Currency - Francs (XPF/CFP)

Posted here are two notes of 500 and 1000 francs both are reprints from the second series first released on 20.01.2014. It is not sure when these two reprint notes were released but I believe it could be in late 2018 or early 2019. It is also not sure if the other two denominations of 5000 and 10000 francs are also reprinted. Only four notes are circulating in the French Pacific Territories.

I believe there are no changes to the original designs of these two reprints except that it has two new signatures printed on it. All notes are printed with three signatures on the front and with the serial numbers on the back. 

The French Pacific Territories mainly comprises French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna. The issuing of banknotes for circulation in the French Pacific Territories is the sole responsibility of the Institut d’Emission d’Outre-Mer (IEOM). The IEOM is based in France and has its headquarters in Paris. The IEOM is the only overseas bank issuing banknotes for these territories, as all other French Overseas territories/departments in the Atlantis Ocean, the Caribbean, South America and the Indian Ocean are using euro as their official currency. 

The main designs of this 2014 series are very different from the previous issues, which were circulated between 1985-2013. None of the 2014 notes are printed with any individual portrait, like those previous issues. The 500 francs features mainly flora on the front and on the back. The 1000 francs feature sea creatures on the front and birds on the back. The CFP currency is fixed at a rate of 1000 francs = 8.3847 euro since 1999 or 1 euro = 119.332 CFP.

Tahiti and Tahuata were declared as a French protectorate in 1842 and the French annexed New Caledonia in 1853. In 1887, Wallis Islands became a French protectorate. The combined population of all three territories is about 572,000. Wallis and Futuna have a population of less than 12,000, whilst the population in both the French Polynesia and New Caledonia are almost the same.

On 05.05.1998, the French government together with the pro and anti independence parties in New Caledonia signed an agreement called the Noumea Accord. This agreement allows the transfer of limited power to the local government over a period of 20 years and also laid the foundation for up to three independence referendums. The first referendum was held in 2018 with 56.7% of the voters rejecting independence. In 2020, another independence referendum was held and again the majority of the people rejected independence with 53.26% voted no. The third independence referendum is due in 2022 and if this is successful, we may expect New Caledonia to issue its own currency eventually once independence is achieved. I personally do not believe that the third referendum will get the yes vote either. The Kanak are the indigenous people of New Caledonia and I believe they are the majority that wanted independence. The Kanak only represents about 41% of the total population. There are about 24% of European people living in New Caledonia. Needless to say, without a majority, it is unlikely that the Kanak will win the next referendum unless they get support from other ethnic groups.

 

Even though New Caledonia has been a French territory since 1853, it has been governed with a large degree of autonomy. According to the 1998 Noumea Accord, the governing arrangement is that the President of New Caledonia comes from an anti-independence party and the Vice President is from a pro-independence party. 

 

Five Hundred Francs (120.5mm x 66mm)

nd2018, Kava leaves, Bird of Paradise

Reverse - plant, flowers

One Thousand Francs (126mm x 66mm)

nd2018, sting ray, tortoise

Reverse - Hornet Parakeet, Kagu

Footnote👉

Other French overseas collectivities/territories using the euro as their official currency are - Saint Martin, Saint Barthe'lemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, French Southern and Antarctic lands, Reunion (Overseas department) and French Guiana (Department).