5 Francs - Muhammad VIII Piedfort Essai

Piedfort essais from the Monnaie de Paris were struck at double the standard planchet thickness primarily for submission to treasury officials and for archival retention — not for circulation. This particular piece dates to 1946, when Tunisia remained a French protectorate and Muhammad VIII al-Amin had just been elevated to the Beyship following the forced abdication of Muhammad VII in May of that year. The French resident-general effectively controlled monetary policy, making the bey's appearance on coinage a carefully managed political gesture rather than an assertion of independent authority.