Collecting the banknotes of New Caledonia can be great fun for notaphilists and other currency enthusiasts. New Caledonia paper money has a history that involves France, and anyone buying Nouvelle-Calédonie currency notes should be able to identify a few French phrases.
New Caledonia is small island collectivity between and to the north of Australia and New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. New Caledonia paper money appeals to collectors who like the exotic and sometimes whimsical notes of the islands that dot this part of the Earth. Other buyers are looking to get a complete set of France-related banknotes from various places, eras, and collectivities.
Whatever your intentions, New Caledonia banknotes are easy to find for sale and never fail to impress with their designs.
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New Caledonia Paper Money Origins
The first New Caledonia paper money goes all the way back to 1873. In that year, French notes inscribed Succursale de Nouméa were issued. (Nouméa is the capital city of New Caledonia.) In 1874, banknotes from the Bank of New Caledonia were produced. These notes, denominated in francs, hold obvious appeal for collectors since they can be thought of as the first true New Caledonian paper money.
Later on, other bills used in New Caledonia were those from the Bank of Indochina (in French, Banque de L’Indo-Chine). In 1942, the modern state of New Caledonia issued its very own paper money. The notes at this time still used francs (and the subunit centimes) and were as being from a French Overseas Department with the legend Institut d’Emission d’Outre-Mer. The notes of New Caledonia today still follow this principle.
See also: Collect Australia banknotes: Colorful Australian money
Collecting New Caledonia Paper Money
Your own collection of New Caledonia paper money can take whatever form best fits your tastes. Complete sets of circulating-value notes from one or more specific years is a fun way to go, and you can often find a single sale of such a complete set for an acceptable price. Uncirculated and otherwise excellent-condition notes can be another standard of yours, especially fun for older and/or rarer items. Many online vendors list new banknotes for sale from New Caledonia often. Always watch the listings and wait for the items that call out to you!
