5 centimes Lindauer Essai en bronze aluminium, perforé

The perforated small-denomination essai series of the late 1930s emerged from a practical problem: France needed cheaper coins. The Monnaie de Paris was actively experimenting with lighter alloys and hole-punched blanks to reduce metal costs on low-value pieces that saw brutal circulation. This particular essai, in aluminium bronze rather than the standard bronze, was part of that broader program — the alloy offering better wear resistance at reduced weight.

None of these Lindauer essais entered circulation. The war intervened before any production decision was finalized.