Description

In 1791, during the turbulence of the French Revolution, France faced a severe monetary crisis marked by the collapse of traditional coinage, the spread of assignats, and growing public distrust in paper money. In this unstable context, the 2 sols 6 deniers of Montagny trial issue was created to provide a tangible, trustworthy medium for everyday transactions, while maintaining a link between paper and metal values. The inscription “payable in exchange for assignats” engraved on the coin clearly reflects this attempt to stabilize the currency system. Finally, such trial coins also served as experiments, allowing authorities to test their production, circulation, and public acceptance before large-scale issuance.