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.
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.