A court in French Polynesia is tomorrow due to hear the case of the king of the self-styled Pakumotu republic, Athanase Teiri, after police last year arrested him over the possession and distribution of illegal money.
Police had seized millions of illegal patu at his home and a woman belonging to his group was given a two-month jail sentence for trying to pay for petrol with an illegal 100 patu note.
As the territory this week put new Pacific franc notes into circulation, a citizen, Rene Hoffer, is challenging their legality, saying the monetary and financial code for France only lists the euro as its currency.
He says the status of the French Pacific territories is not clear.
"Are they France or are they not France? If they are France, it is the euro. If they are not France, the French judges have nothing to do tomorrow."
As President Francois Hollande has said there is only one France, Rene Hoffer says France should add the Pacific franc to its official currencies.
