1 Kirobo

Madagascar's pre-colonial monetary system relied heavily on barter and silver currency, but French colonial administration — formally established in 1896 following the military campaign that deposed Queen Ranavalona III — immediately moved to regularize small-denomination coinage for local circulation. The 1 kirobo was among the earliest issues produced under that new regime, bridging indigenous monetary custom with French colonial economic infrastructure.

Lecompte 12 is not a common reference in most Western collections.