5 Centimes Lindauer Epreuve en plomb de contrôle d'avers

Control proofs in lead — épreuves de contrôle — were produced by the Monnaie de Paris as internal verification pieces, struck to confirm die alignment and hub fidelity before authorizing full production runs. They were never intended for circulation or public sale. At 48g, this obverse control is substantially heavier than the eventual bronze circulation strike, a consequence of the thick planchet used to capture full die detail under inspection conditions.

The Lindauer 5 centimes type entered production in 1917 under wartime metal constraints that had already eliminated nickel and reduced bronze allotments. By 1921, the design was well established, making a control proof of this date a procedural artifact rather than an experimental one.