Essai 10 Centimes 1830

The Essai 10 Centimes of 1830 was struck mere months after the July Revolution, serving as a trial for the new regime's coinage designs.

This piece, intended for the July Monarchy, features a bust of Louis-Philippe on the obverse, a deliberate nod to the political upheaval that ousted the Bourbons. Essais like this were often produced in small quantities using experimental metals, such as copper alloys, to test durability and appearance before full production. Mintage figures remain unclear; records from that era are spotty at best.

I've handled a few of these over the years, and the myths about their supposed rarity can be overstated. They're not as common as thalers, but they're out there if you know where to look.

One oddity: the edge is sometimes reeded, a detail that might have baffled the minters themselves.