Essai 10 Francs 1830

The Essai 10 Francs of 1830 was struck using silver planchets possibly recycled from earlier French issues, a practical move amid the July Revolution's upheaval.

That makes sense; the coinage system was in flux as the monarchy collapsed, and mints had to improvise. This pattern never went into full production, serving instead as a trial for a new 10 francs design that reflected the regime change. The obverse likely featured a bust of the incoming king, Louis-Philippe, though exact details vary by specimen.

We don't know the precise mintage—records from that era are spotty, lost to fires or neglect. What we have are a few surviving pieces, often in varied states of wear, which turn up in auctions every decade or so. It's a reminder that coins, like revolutions, don't always pan out as planned.

Patterns from 1830 fetch a premium, but only if they're genuine; fakes abound, as with most historical essais.