2 centimes Epi Epreuve en acier, grand module

The 1959 coinage reform that introduced the nouveau franc also prompted a full review of the centime denominations, with the Monnaie de Paris producing steel trial strikes — épreuves — to test both die quality and planchet behavior before committing to production specifications. This piece, the grand module variant, reflects an early stage in that process when the final diameter had not yet been standardized. The GEM 8.4 reference places it firmly among the documented pre-production trials rather than pattern coinages proper.