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½ Franc Saint Helena and Ascension
| Issuer | Domaines Nationaux de Sainte-Hélène |
|---|---|
| Year | 2021 |
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| Currency | Franc |
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| Obverse description | At center, the Napoleonic Imperial Eagle displayed with wings spread, perched above a laurel wreath and an Imperial 'N' cartouche, serving as the primary device. The denomination legend 'DEMI FRANC' appears in two lines at the top of the field, flanked by the bicentennial dates '1821' and '2021' on either side of the eagle. Below the eagle, the essai designation 'ESSAI TRIAL' is inscribed in the lower field. The curved legend 'Domaines Nationaux de Sainte-Hélène' runs along the left and lower periphery. The entire design is framed by a beaded border. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | DEMI FRANC 1821 2021 ESSAI TRIAL Domaines Nationaux de Sainte-Hélène |
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| Additional information |
Saint Helena's currency history is tangled. The island used pound sterling informally for decades before the Saint Helena pound was formalized, and coinage has always arrived by ship — sometimes months late. The "Domaines Nationaux" issuing authority reflects the island's unusual constitutional status as a British Overseas Territory administered partly through Crown-managed land holdings, a governance structure with roots in the East India Company's original tenure over the island from 1659 to 1834.
Copper-nickel-iron is an uncommon alloy choice, adopted here largely to reduce production costs for a low-denomination coin serving a population of under 5,000.