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5 Centimes
| Issuer | Ville d'Alger (Municipality of Algiers) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Centimes (0.05) |
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| Obverse description | Black letterpress print on light green paper. The municipal coat of arms of Algiers — a crowned heraldic shield — is centred between two cartouches each bearing the denomination '5c.' in bold numerals. The entire design is enclosed within an ornamental border of repeated floral and scroll motifs, with the printer's imprint 'IMP JOURDAN ALGER' at the lower margin. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | VILLE D'ALGER 5c. Délibération du Conseil Municipal en date du 24 Octobre 1916 IMP JOURDAN ALGER (Translation: City of Algiers. Municipal Council deliberation dated 24 October 1916.) |
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| Comments |
Municipal emergency notes of this type were a direct consequence of wartime coin hoarding across French Algeria. By 1916, small-denomination bronze and nickel coinage had effectively vanished from daily commerce — soldiers, merchants, and civilians alike were sitting on metal. Algiers, like dozens of French and North African municipalities, responded by authorizing local paper substitutes to keep low-value transactions moving.
Adolphe Jourdan's Algiers press was the dominant commercial printer in colonial North Africa at the time, handling everything from legal documents to illustrated books. Their involvement here was practical geography, not a procurement decision of any particular note.