10 Centimes Alger Chamber of Commerce, Essai

Algeria's commercial chambers began issuing their own emergency token coinage during World War I when the French metropolitan mint could not keep pace with small-denomination demand across the colonies. The Algiers Chamber of Commerce was among the most prolific issuers, producing several denominations in brass and aluminum between 1918 and 1921 to fill the void left by hoarded and melted official coinage.

This piece is an essai — a trial strike produced outside normal production runs, typically for approval or archival purposes. Essais of chamber of commerce nécessité issues survive in far smaller quantities than circulation strikes, as most were never distributed.