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5 Centimes - ville de Besançon [25] Silver
| Issuer | Ville de Besançon |
|---|---|
| Year | 1917 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Centimes (0.05) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The upper left portion of the reverse features a scenic vignette depicting the Citadel of Besançon rising above the Pont de Bregille spanning the Doubs River, as viewed from the Promenade Micaud. The composition is rendered in fine engraved detail, evoking the topographical character of the city. The issuer name and denomination are inscribed in the lower right field, balancing the pictorial element with the coin's monetary function. |
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| Additional information |
Besançon's 1917 emergency coinage was authorized by the municipal government after the wartime metal requisitions and hoarding of the early war years had stripped the region of small-denomination specie almost entirely. French local authorities across the northeast issued their own necessity money during this period, but Besançon's choice of silver rather than the cardboard or zinc used by most communes was unusual — and almost certainly reflects access to local watchmaking industry silver stocks, given the city's centuries-old role as the center of French horology.