Catalog
1 Franc
| Issuer | Monnaie de Paris |
|---|---|
| Year | 1959-1965 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Mintage | 1959 - - 500,000 1965 - - 200,000 |
| Additional information |
The Fifth Republic's franc coinage was introduced in 1960 as part of De Gaulle's currency redenomination — the "nouveau franc" replaced the old franc at a rate of 100:1, an attempt to restore confidence in a currency battered by postwar inflation and the financial strain of colonial wars in Indochina and Algeria. This 1 franc piece belongs to that inaugural series, designed by Georges Mathieu under commission from the newly reorganized Monnaie de Paris.
The aluminium-magnesium alloy was a deliberate postwar economy, reflecting France's ongoing industrial recovery. Similar alloys had already appeared in smaller denominations during the late Fourth Republic.