1994 Madagascar 200 Ariary / 1 000 Francs banknote featuring a fisherman in a canoe on the front and a coastal village scene on the back, issued by Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara

200 MGA – 1994

$ 40

A meticulously composed and visually evocative banknote from Madagascar, the 1994 1,000 Francs / 200 Ariary piece presents a poised young Malagasy man set against traditional sailing canoes on the obverse, while the reverse showcases a coastal tableau of a woman carrying a basket of shellfish and fishermen hauling nets—with hints of coral and stylized carvings accentuating the scene; the note was printed on fine paper by the Banque de France and carries a subtle yet dignified zebu-head watermark for authenticity.

Category:

1. Overview

2. Design & Imagery

  • Obverse (Recto)
  • Reverse (Verso)
    • Depicts a young woman holding a basket of shellfish, alongside fishermen with nets at left—evocative of Madagascar’s coastal and marine culture (en.numista.com, banknotes.com).
  • Watermark

3. Security Features

  • UV Fluorescence
    • Under ultraviolet light, the numeral “1000” fluoresces yellow, while a security strip glows blue (numizon.com, allnumis.com).
  • Microprinting & Edge Details
    • Faint yellow circles and micro-print border the note’s edges.
    • The value (“200”) is embossed on the obverse within a slightly colored edge-strip (en.numista.com).
  • Alternating Text Strip
    • On the reverse, edge strips feature micro-printed alternating right-side-up and upside-down text reading “BANKY FOIBEN’IMADAGASIKARA” (en.numista.com).
  • Anti-Counterfeiting Warning
    • A bilingual warning in Malagasy and French appears in green overprint:
      Helohin’ny Lalana Hiasa Anterivozona Mandrapahafatiny Ny Mpanao Vola Sandoka / La Loi Punit des Travaux Forcés à Perpétuité Tout Contrefacteur de Monnaie (en.numista.com, banknotes.com).
  • Iridescent Ink Strip
    • A green iridescent ink strip on the reverse bears repeating “200” numerals and patterns; under UV, additional micro-patterns (“BFM”, “200”, outline of Madagascar) appear (en.numista.com).

4. Production Details & Variants

  • Catalog References
    Known in collectors’ catalogs as Pick #76 or P-76, TBB #B312 (numizon.com).
  • Printer
    Specimens were produced by the Bank of France (Paris) (numizon.com).
  • Signature Variants
    At least two signature configurations exist, corresponding to different issuing periods or officials (numizon.com).
  • Estimated Print Years
    Issued around 1994 to 1995, often undated (ND) (allnumis.com, vcoins.com, numizon.com).

5. Cultural & Historical Notes

  • Transitional Currency Context
    The note straddled both the Malagasy franc and ariary, a transitional era before the ariary became the sole official currency starting 1 January 2005 (Wikipédia).
  • Visual Symbolism
    The imagery underscores Madagascar’s cultural identity—fishing scenes reflect coastal livelihoods; zebu watermark signals local economic and cultural importance.
  • Rarity & Collector Value
    While not as rare as the earlier Rakoto Frah portrait note (1000 Francs/200 Ariary featuring the iconic musician), this 1994 issue remains sought after by collectors for its design and place in currency transition history (Wikipédia, it.wikipedia.org).

Summary Table

Category Details
Issuer Central Bank of Madagascar
Period 1994–≈1998 (Third Republic)
Denomination 1000 Francs (200 Ariary)
Material Paper
Size ~137 × 76 mm
Obverse Young man, boats
Reverse Woman with shellfish, fishermen
Watermark Zebu’s head
UV Features Yellow fluorescence (value), blue strip
Other Security Micro-print, embossed value, bilingual warning
Printer Bank of France
Variants Signature types (≥2)
Demonetized 31 Dec 2009
Currency Transition Part of franc–ariary overlap era

 

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