Syria in 1941 was under Vichy French administration when the Allied invasion in June of that year — Operation Exporter — upended the political situation entirely. The Free French took control, but wartime metal shortages meant new coinage had to be struck quickly and cheaply. Brass replaced the usual alloy, and the resulting issues were thin on quality control. This piece is part of that scrambled monetary transition, produced under a regime that changed hands mid-year.
Syria in 1941 was under Vichy French administration when the Allied invasion in June of that year — Operation Exporter — upended the political situation entirely. The Free French took control, but wartime metal shortages meant new coinage had to be struck quickly and cheaply. Brass replaced the usual alloy, and the resulting issues were thin on quality control. This piece is part of that scrambled monetary transition, produced under a regime that changed hands mid-year.