1 Centime

These small bronzes were struck across the early decades of the Third Republic, a government that came into existence following the catastrophic defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War and the violent suppression of the Paris Commune in 1871. Production ran intermittently over twenty-five years, with certain dates — particularly those from the 1880s — showing dramatically lower mintage figures due to reduced official demand as fractional coinage lost practical utility in everyday commerce.

The 1897 issue closed the series. Centime denominations of this size were effectively obsolete by then, purchasing almost nothing.