Where did this money come from?
French franc
A history told through its predecessors and the currencies that followed.
6 ancestors16 descendantsEstablished connections in this atlas
Follow a name to its history. Select a dated connection for its evidence.
DocumentedQualified
The incoming line
All 6 ancestors shown. Predecessors lead down to the selected currency. Later contributions join an existing currency; they do not establish its origin.
Predecessor332 BC–259 BC
Attic drachma accountingQualified · Intervening stages openLater contributionAD 296–AD 351
Egyptian silver drachma accountingQualified · Later contributionPredecessorAD 274–AD 375
Roman as–denarius–sestertius accountingQualified · Intervening stages openPredecessorAD 400–AD 700
Roman solidus–nomisma accountingQualified · Intervening stages openPredecessorAD 794–1204
Frankish denier–livre reckoningQualified · Evidence periodPredecessor1795–1799
Livre tournoisDocumentedThis currency
French francDates, conversion terms and evidence 6 connections
Livre tournois French franc
1795–1799Documented1.0125 Livre tournois = 1 French francThe tariff equates 1.0125 livres tournois with 1 franc. Preferred reported date: 25 germinal IV / 14 April 1796 (S16). S17 says 24 germinal. Day remains withheld pending the original act.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Frankish denier–livre reckoning Livre tournois
Evidence period: AD 794–1204QualifiedA span of evidence, not an exact foundation date.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Egyptian silver drachma accounting Roman as–denarius–sestertius accounting
Evidence period: AD 296–AD 351QualifiedLater contribution or absorptionA span of evidence, not an exact foundation date.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Roman solidus–nomisma accounting Frankish denier–livre reckoning
Evidence period: AD 400–AD 700QualifiedEarlier ancestry; intervening stages remain openA span of evidence, not an exact foundation date.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Attic drachma accounting Egyptian silver drachma accounting
Evidence period: 332 BC–259 BCQualifiedEarlier ancestry; intervening stages remain openA span of evidence, not an exact foundation date.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Roman as–denarius–sestertius accounting Roman solidus–nomisma accounting
Evidence period: AD 274–AD 375QualifiedEarlier ancestry; intervening stages remain openA span of evidence, not an exact foundation date.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗What followed
7 direct successors or branches connected to this currency.
This currency
French francSuccessor or branchEUR
Euro1999Documented6.55957 French franc = 1 EUR
Successor or branchXPF
CFP francSuccessor or branch
Malagasy francShow 4 more successors
Successor or branchXOF
CFA francSuccessor or branchXAF
CFA francSuccessor or branch
French Somaliland CFA francSuccessor or branch
Bulgarian levKeep going forwardExplore all 16 descendants +
The complete outgoing line
Follow successors and branches straight forward. Other parents of a descendant are not added to this path.
This currency
French francSuccessor or branch1880
Bulgarian levDocumentedSuccessor or branch1945
Malagasy francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1945
CFA francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1945
CFA francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1945
CFP francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1945
French Somaliland CFA francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1945–1967
Vanuatu vatu / New Hebrides francDocumentedLater absorption1949
Djiboutian francDocumented · Later contributionSuccessor or branch1962–1963
Comorian francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1960
Guinean franc, first unitDocumentedSuccessor or branch1962
Malian francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1972
Guinean syliDocumentedSuccessor or branch1986
Guinean francDocumentedSuccessor or branch1973
Mauritanian ouguiyaDocumentedMultiple connectionsEUR
Euro2 connections · Includes later contributionsSuccessor or branch2005
Malagasy ariaryDocumentedDates, conversion terms and evidence 17 connections
French franc Euro
1999Documented6.55957 French franc = 1 EURPublished FRF units per one euro. This terminal scale is not interchangeable with earlier redenomination epochs.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Bulgarian lev Euro
2026DocumentedLater contribution or absorption1.95583 Bulgarian lev = 1 EURPublished BGN units per one euro. This terminal scale is not interchangeable with earlier redenomination epochs.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗CFA franc Guinean franc, first unit
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Guinean syli Guinean franc
1986Documented1 Guinean syli = 1 GNFGuinea restores the franc. Use changeover date rather than 1985 note-series dating.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗CFA franc Malian franc
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗CFA franc Mauritanian ouguiya
1973Documented5 XOF = 1 MRUMauritania introduces the ouguiya. Effective date per Bundesbank; earlier political decisions should be separate events.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Malagasy franc Malagasy ariary
2005Documented5 Malagasy franc = 1 MGAThe ariary becomes the accounting unit. Ariary-denominated new notes had already launched on 31 July 2003.
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗Malagasy franc Comorian franc
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗French Somaliland CFA franc Djiboutian franc
1949DocumentedLater contribution or absorption
Read the evidence and qualifications ↗