10 Centimes - Reunion

This 10 Centimes piece from Reunion was one of the first French colonial coins struck in aluminum, a material that saved weight for shipments across the Indian Ocean but wore down faster than copper in the humid climate.

That choice reflected practical economics. France issued these for its overseas territories starting in 1896, with production likely continuing through the 1940s, though exact end dates are murky in colonial records.

The obverse typically featured a French Republic design, like a wreath or a bust, while the reverse might show the denomination and "Réunion." Not all varieties are common; some years turned up with planchet flaws from wartime recycling.

Aluminum coins like this one were a cheap alternative to silver, especially after global shortages. I once had a bag of them that felt like handling foil—hardly the stuff of legends.