5 Centimes

Historical Context: This 1921 5 Centimes piece from the Region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur represents a significant example of French *monnaie de nécessité* (necessity money) or *jetons-monnaie* issued in the immediate post-World War I era. Following the Great War, France faced severe economic dislocation, inflation, and a critical shortage of small denomination national coinage. Regional chambers of commerce, municipalities, and even private enterprises across the nation, including the economically vital Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, stepped in to issue their own provisional currency to facilitate daily commerce, addressing a pressing national void in circulating tender.

Artistry: While specific engraver attribution for this regional issue (El Mon.#10.6) remains largely undocumented in standard references, the stylistic conventions typically align with the utilitarian yet symbolic designs prevalent in French necessity coinage of the period. These issues often featured allegorical figures representing commerce or agriculture, regional coats of arms, or local industry motifs. The aesthetic generally reflects a transitional phase between late Art Nouveau and nascent Art Deco, characterized by clean lines and often a somewhat simplified, robust execution suited for mass production by private mints contracted for these tokens, rather than the intricate work of the Monnaie de Paris.

Technical/Grading: Struck in aluminium, a soft and reactive metal, this 23mm, 1.3g type is highly susceptible to preservation issues. Key high-points for assessing grade include the integrity of the legend "Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur" and the denomination "5 Centimes," which are often the first areas to show flattening. Any central motif, if present, will exhibit wear on its highest relief points, such as hair details, facial features, or raised elements of symbols. Given aluminium's malleability, pristine examples free from nicks, scratches, edge bumps, or surface corrosion (pitting) are exceptionally rare and command significant premiums.