20 Cents Pattern

The Monnaie de Paris struck a series of pattern coins in 1937 for French Equatorial Africa and related territories as part of broader colonial monetary reorganization discussions underway that decade. This nickel essai was never adopted for circulation — the 20-centime denomination itself proved economically marginal for the territory, and wartime disruption beginning two years later effectively ended any prospect of issue.

Lecompte 232a distinguishes this from related pattern strikes by die specifics. Survivors exist almost exclusively in institutional and specialist collections.