The Institut d'Émission d'Outre-Mer was established in 1966 to manage currency for France's Pacific territories — New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna — after those regions were excluded from the franc zone reforms that created the metropolitan French franc. Piedfort issues from the IEOM are exceptionally rare; produced in very small numbers for official presentations and archival sets, most never entered collector channels through conventional means.
The .920 fineness is characteristic of French piedfort gold of this period, matching the alloy standards set by the Paris Mint for prestige strikings rather than bullion.
The Institut d'Émission d'Outre-Mer was established in 1966 to manage currency for France's Pacific territories — New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna — after those regions were excluded from the franc zone reforms that created the metropolitan French franc. Piedfort issues from the IEOM are exceptionally rare; produced in very small numbers for official presentations and archival sets, most never entered collector channels through conventional means.
The .920 fineness is characteristic of French piedfort gold of this period, matching the alloy standards set by the Paris Mint for prestige strikings rather than bullion.