Coin, French West Africa, 10 Francs
1956 - Paris - VF(30-35) - Aluminum-Bronze
Head left, divides date above.
Rhim gazelle facing divides denomination
3.8 gr
Aluminum bronze
Bronze (not to be confused with brass, although usage of the two terms varied in times of yore) is an extremely ancient alloy of copper and tin with origins going back to the period around 2,000 BC. Also known...wait for it...as the Bronze Age (who would have guessed?)
In contrast, the addition of the third wheel, aluminum, is a far more recent development, as the technique for extracting aluminum from bauxite was only perfected in the 19th century.
The proportion of aluminum used for this extremely corrosion-resistant alloy is generally 15%. Small quantities of other materials such as magnesium are also sometimes added.
Its is frequently used for coinage.