20 Francs Essai

The 1967 nickel essai for the 20 Francs denomination was part of France's broader post-de Gaulle monetary rationalization effort, produced by the Monnaie de Paris as a struck trial piece for internal evaluation rather than public circulation. Essais of this period were typically sold directly to collectors through the mint's subscription program, which kept survival numbers modest but condition generally high.

The Lec#41 attribution places it firmly within Lecompte's catalogued French essai series — a reference set that remains the authoritative source for these trial strikes.