5 Francs - New Caledonia

What stands out about this 5 Francs coin from New Caledonia is its use of aluminum, a material salvaged from wartime scrap to keep costs down in a far-flung French territory still recovering from global conflict.

Issued between 1949 and 1960, the coin features a simple design: a bust of Marianne on the obverse, symbolizing the French Republic, and a local motif on the reverse, likely a palm tree or native flora to nod to the Pacific setting. Aluminum made it lightweight and resistant to corrosion, which was practical for a humid climate but meant it wore down quickly in circulation.

Mintage figures vary by year, though records are patchy; some estimates suggest around 1 million pieces in peak years, but that's unverified. As someone who's turned these over in my hands for decades, the myth that they're rare treasures always amuses me—they're common enough in collections, yet still overlooked.

Not every coin needs a silver lining.