1 Franc

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.