Vichy 2 Franc Ax meaning?

On the top and bottom of the ax are inscribed in tiny letters

  S PACIS

  PETAIN

  Does any one know what this means? Also what does the ax itself mean?

  It would be great if each coin page had an aria for information about the meaning of the design and other information about a particular coin. There is so much cultural and historical info on a coin.

"S. Pacis" might be the engraver.

Petain was the leader of Vichy France during World War.

Show me a picture showing the tiny lettering.

The axe is the old Roman symbol of a magistrate's authority "Fasces" from which derives the modern term Fascist.

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces299.html

 Issued only two years 1943 1944 during WWII and here are two pictures ...

     

On the above page it says:  Engraver   Lucien Georges Bazor
Perhaps S PACIS means eternal peace in Latin. And ax is axe like pnightingale says.
Also I read that the double head axe shown is called a Frankish axe or Francisque.

Other information:  After the fall of the French Third Republic to invading Nazi forces in 1940, a pro-German government was set up in Vichy. Philippe Petain led France as an effective puppet state of the Third Reich until the French republican government returned from exile in 1945. The Vichy regime minted coins from 1941 to 1944, all in either aluminum or zinc. The lack of mintmark on this coin indicates that it was struck at the mint in Paris. Mintage in 1943 is nearly 107 million, making this a common coin.

the way "S PACIS" is put on the axe makes me think that the word PACIS is written around the shaft, and so the S would be the last letter of PACIS
other suggestion : (FASCE)S PACIS : fasces (punition instruments) to keep peace (PACIS is genetif of PAX)

The suggestions for the meaning of "S PACIS" are interesting. I had always assumed it was the last fragment of the phrase Terror Bellis, Decus Pacis, from the Marshall's baton. On reflection and given the collaborative nature of the Vichy government, Eternal Peace would seem to make more sense.

The Fasces device is, with hindsight,  a strange choice for the reverse of the US Mercury dime.

What?? Is the ax on the Mercury Fasces?

 So no one is sure on the S PACIS?

  Thanks for all the info, more info on coins like this would be great.

The traditional Roman fasces consisted of a bundle of birch rods, tied together with a red leather ribbon into a cylinder, and often including a bronze axe (or sometimes two) amongst the rods, with the blade(s) on the side, projecting from the bundle.Which is an image that traditionally symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity" (Wikipedia).

Bring back the birch!

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1161.html

 There is a picture of an axe within a bundle of rods on this coin from about 40 years earlier.
 It is a 25 Centimes 1904-1908 also from France.

Quote: redsmithstudiosWhat?? Is the ax on the Mercury Fasces?

 So no one is sure on the S PACIS?

  Thanks for all the info, more info on coins like this would be great.

It gets worse mate.

It's also a part of the insignia of all National Guard units. Given that the two elements, a bundle of birch rods and of course the axe represent corporal and capital punishment respectively...... is there someting they are not telling us?

Kinda scarey innit?