Service Financier de l’Armée Currency & Banknote Values

The Service Financier de l’Armée series of Germany in the World Currency contains 16 distinct entries.

Following its surrender to the Allies on 7 May 1945, Germany was divided into occupation zones subject to military government, with Belgium participating in the occupation of an area divided between America, Britain, and France. To avoid currency fluctuations and fraud caused by the misuse of German currency, the paymasters of the Belgian army initially used the same occupation mark notes (see Allied Military Currency, B601-) supplied to American, British, and French troops. On 23 July 1946, the National Bank of Belgium received an order to print 200,000,000 francs’ worth of notes dated 01.08.46 for the Ministry of National Defense on paper from Portals in England at a total cost of 889,447 francs. Pursuant to decree of 19 September 1946, these notes were issued for the exclusive use by Belgian troops in military establishments, clubs, bars, and Belgian stores in occupied Germany. Use by civilians was prohibited and punishable by imprisonment. The notes were worthless outside occuped Germany, but could be exchanged for national currency. The signatures of officers in the Service Financier de l’Armée (Financial Service of the Army, SFA) appear on both the front and back of each note.