In 1856, the French government purchased the territory of Obock, and in 1896, the Côte Francaise des Somalis (French Somaliland) was established by conjoining the former French Protectorates of Obock and Djibouti (Tadjoura). France needed Djibouti to provide a base for the French navy. The port city of Djibouti was founded in 1888 and became the capital in 1892. Djibouti was known as French Somaliland and was a colony of France until October 27, 1946 when it became an overseas territory. It became an overseas territory of France, known as the French Territory of Afars and Issas on July 3, 1967 and gained its independence as the Republique de Djibouti on June 27, 1977.
No coins were issued in Djibouti until 1948. Coins were imported into Djibouti from Egypt, Europe and other places until then.
On November 21, 1885, legal tender status was given to Maria Theresa Thalers (XMTT), French Francs (FRG) and Indian Rupees (INR). The Maria Theresa Thalers and Indian Rupees lost their legal tender status on January 26, 1943. Banque de l'Indochine, established a branch in Djibouti because of the colony's location on the shipping route from France to India and the Pacific via the Suez Canal. The Banque de l'Indochine began issuing Franc notes for Djibouti (DJG) on May 21, 1907.
The Djibouti CFA Franc (DJC) was part of the CFA Franc area beginning on December 26, 1945, but Djibouti left the Franc zone on March 17, 1949 and began issuing the Djibouti Franc (DJA) on March 20, 1949 and tied the Djibouti Franc to the US Dollar. When Djibouti left the Franc zone, the Tresor Public, Cote Francaise des Somalis took over the issuance of banknotes. Upon gaining its independence, the French Afars and Issas Franc (AIF), issued by the Tresor Public, Territoire Francais des Afars et Issas replaced the Djibouti Franc at par. The Djibouti Franc (DJF), issued by the Banque Nationale of Djibouti, replaced the French Afars and Issas Franc at par in 1977. |
Here is a 500 Francs note printed in 1979. The note is multicolor with a blue underprint. The obverse of this note depicts a man standing in front of some rocks out to sea, with some storks to the right. the reverse shows the stern of a ship to the right, and a ship out to sea to the center.
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