Exceptional set of three consecutive playing cards (10 of Hearts, Jack of Hearts, Queen of Clubs), used as supports for Revolutionary emergency notes (“billets de confiance”), a configuration of great rarity.

The cards are accompanied by antique collector’s paper documents, illustrating the filing, classification and conservation practices of a former collector.

Rare billets de confiance issued in Saint-Maixent (present-day Saint-Maixent-l’École, Deux-Sèvres) during the French Revolution, at a time marked by a severe shortage of small coinage. These local emergency notes were used for everyday transactions and reflect the monetary ingenuity of Revolutionary municipalities.

Printed on the reverse of playing cards, a practical and effective anti-counterfeiting support, each example is unique through its card type, handwritten numbering and original signatures.

Typical characteristics:

Obverse: denomination expressed in sols, date, handwritten serial number and signatures of municipal administrators (e.g. Lelong, Casimir – municipal officer).

Reverse: original playing card, sometimes featuring an emblematic figure, such as the Jack “Lahire” (Jack of Hearts).

At the crossroads of numismatics, Revolutionary history and playing cards, these billets de confiance form a highly sought-after collectible ensemble, offering an authentic glimpse into local economic life on the eve of the Republic.

Printed in yellow ink on the reverse of a playing card, Ten of Hearts, which becomes the obverse of the billet de confiance. Date: 1792. Denomination: THREE SOLS. Numbering: a handwritten serial number: 16895. Signatures: Two handwritten signatures on the obverse: DEPREZ and BONNART, and one on the reverse: Vus BOUTIN.

Printed on the reverse of a playing card: Jack “LAHIRE” (Jack of Hearts), which becomes the obverse of the billet de confiance. Date: 1791. Denomination: TWENTY SOLS. Numbering: a handwritten serial number: 302. Signatures: Three handwritten signatures on the obverse: LELONG, B. CASIMIR (Municipal Officer), and GARRAN de BALSAN.

Printed in blue ink on the reverse of a playing card: Queen “ARGINE” (Queen of Clubs), which becomes the obverse of the billet de confiance. Date: 1792. Denomination: SIX SOLS. Numbering: a handwritten serial number: 13334. Signatures: Two handwritten signatures on the obverse: GRAY and PONALIEU. On the reverse (card side): Jean ROCHE No. AT9 No. 100. GAUDELIN VERMAUD. Vus BOUTIN.