How much are the 10 silver coins worth? The question is very often asked. Most of the time it is a question of knowing the value of the coin according to the price of the precious metal and to answer the following questions: what is the market value of a piece of 10 francs in silver? At what price can I sell it? How much can I earn by selling it?
The 10 silver coins are also known as the 10 Franc Hercules because the demi god Hercules is represented on one side of the coin, where he is surrounded by two female figures of Liberty and Equality.
French coins of 10 francs Hercules type have a diameter of 37 millimeters and a thickness of 3 millimeters. Their weight is 25 grams. They are composed of pure silver 900 thousandths or 90% if one prefers. Each piece contains 22.5 grams of pure silver. It takes 44.44 silver coins of 10 francs Hercules to have the equivalent of 1 kilo of pure silver.
These coins were struck between 1965 and 1973 in very large quantities. In total more than 39 million coins were minted. It took no less than 877.5 tons of silver to make them.
The pieces of 10 silver francs are therefore not rare with the exception of the test pieces struck in 1964. A first test was struck in 1964 to only 131 copies. This rare piece is worth between 2500 and 3800 euro. 3500 test pieces bearing the mention TEST on the reverse were also manufactured in 1964. These very rare coins are worth between 200 and 400 euro.
A large part of the 10-franc silver coins were recast after their withdrawal from circulation in 1973. However, there are still very large quantities of coins in circulation and the 10-franc silver coins are used as silver coins. investment.
The value of 10 Franc Hercules coins depends on variations in their pure silver content. To know the value of these currencies one must therefore look for the price of money. Silver metal is traded daily on the global precious metals market. The value of 10 franc coins can therefore vary upwards or downwards.
At the time of their circulation, the 10 silver coins were massively hoarded by the French. Most of the rooms have hardly been circulated and parts are often found in excellent conservation conditions.
Collectors generally look for parts in perfect condition, without any shock, with a brilliant surface perfectly intact. To buy parts in superb condition some are willing to pay a price significantly higher than the value of the precious metal they contain.
In 1973 the government was forced to interrupt the production of 10 Franc Hercules coins because of the rise in the price of precious metals. The metallic value of the coins became higher than their face value. The 10 Franc Hercules coins were then replaced by the 50 Franc Hercules silver coins. These coins were worth 5 times more than the 10-franc coins, while their weight had only been increased by 20%. But this change was not enough to counter inflation. The manufacture of 50 silver coins was interrupted in turn in 1980 due to the rise in the price of precious metals.
The silver coins of 10 francs Hercules were created after the model of Union and Force coins designed by Augustin Dupré during the French Revolution. These coins were then worth 5 francs, but they already had the same weight and the same size as the pieces of 10 silver francs modern, that is to say 25 grams of pure silver at 90%.
The 10 silver coins are classic French coins that are still appreciated today by investors as well as collectors. Their value depends on the price of the metal they contain. For many French this value is also sentimental because these beautiful coins have a very strong historical dimension and symbolize the heyday of the 1960s.