Saar franc refers to the French Franc (German: Franken) that was the official currency of the Saar during the two times that the Saar territory was economically split off from Germany, i.e. 1920–1935 as the Territory of the Saar Basin; and 1947–1957 as the Saar Protectorate and 1957–1959 as the state of Saarland in West Germany. Although local notes and coins were issued during both periods, legally the Saar-Franken was never a currency of its own.