50 Dinars 2003 16th Anniversary of 7 November 1987 Coup d'état, French legend

The "7 November" framing was a deliberate piece of political mythology. When Zine El Abidine Ben Ali removed Bourguiba in a bloodless coup on the night of November 7, 1987, the event was immediately repackaged as a "medical coup" — a constitutional transfer of power justified by a doctor's certificate declaring Bourguiba mentally unfit. The regime then institutionalized the date as a national holiday, issuing commemorative coinage at regular anniversaries to reinforce the legitimacy of an origin story that required constant repetition precisely because it was so legally thin.

The French-legend variant exists alongside an Arabic-legend counterpart, reflecting Tunisia's bilingual official culture rather than any distinct issuing authority or circulation purpose.