is dated 4-1-1792, with the additional inscription “l'an 4 de la Liberté”. Unfortunately, it has been listed as being issued in Year 4 of the Republican calendar, which is translated as 1796. Can this please be corrected?
Former Numista referee for banknotes from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Saint Helena.
I'm not an expert on French history, but I know that the First French Republic began in 1792; however, the Storming of the Bastille (which represents the fall of the monarchy of King Louis XVI) was in 1789. Is it a mistake to say that 1792 is the 4th year of liberation?
It seems to me that this was the case with the dating of this banknote, which is indeed from 1792 (we should even correct the date on the variant line... it's not a non-disclosure).
Vladimir
Catalogue Administrator and Banknote Master Referee.
Estado cambiado a hecho(Jarcek, 15 mar 2026, 8:27)
Perhaps a brief explanation of the “years” used during the French revolution would help? The revolution began in 1789, which was then refered to as the “1st year of Liberty”. 1790, 1791 and 1792 were then refered to as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th "years of Liberty". The Republic was declared in September 1792, after which the rest of that year was refered to as the “1st year of the Republic”, with 1793 the 2nd. However, when the Republican calendar was created, this shifted the start of the year to the Autumnal equinox (which coincided with the start of the Republic in 1792), meaning the “1st year of the Republic” ran from 22-9-1792 to 22-9-1793. This pattern was then followed for the next 13 years, with the “14th year of the Republic” beginning on 23-9-1805. Napoléon restored the Gregorian calendar at the begining of 1806.
There is therefore no error in the use of “l'an 4 de la Liberté” on a note from 1792.
Former Numista referee for banknotes from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Saint Helena.
