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5 Francs - Louis II Essai
| Issuer | Monnaie de Paris |
|---|---|
| Year | 1945 |
| Type | Coin pattern |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed effigy of Prince Louis II facing left, rendered in high relief with sharply defined facial features. The engraver's signature 'L. MAUBERT' and the word 'ESSAI' appear below the truncation of the neck. The circular legend 'LOUIS II PRINCE DE MONACO' runs along the outer rim, interrupted by beaded border elements. The overall style reflects the sober, classical portraiture typical of Monnaie de Paris essay pieces of the mid-20th century. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Monaco's postwar coinage transition was complicated by Louis II's advanced age — he was 74 in 1945 and died just two years later — leaving the principality uncertain about the longevity of any new series. This essai was part of the Monnaie de Paris's broader effort to prepare coinage for Monaco following the disruptions of the Occupation, during which normal minting had been severely curtailed. The copper-aluminium alloy reflects the same material constraints driving French coinage decisions at the Liberation.
Essais of this type were produced in small quantities for official approval purposes and never entered circulation. Gad#MC135 is the standard reference for Monaco essais of this transitional period.