Old coin and medal valuation in Paris and Île-de-France

Many families still have a box of coins: francs, a few silver coins, sometimes gold, medals. Some are only worth their metal. Others interest collectors. You have to look at them one by one to know.

The coins and medals we value

• royal coins from before the French Revolution: gold louis, silver écus, small copper coins;
• French gold coins from the 19th and early 20th centuries: 10, 20, 50 or 100 francs;
• silver coins, such as the Semeuse or the Hercule;
• commemorative, religious or table medals, tokens and military decorations.

Gold coins: Napoleon, Marianne and the others

The French 20 franc gold coin is known as a "Napoléon". Since the early 19th century, these coins have kept the same weight, 6.45 grams, and the same fineness, 900 thousandths, meaning 90% gold. Only the portrait changes: Napoleon I, the kings of the Restoration, Napoleon III, the Genius of the Third Republic, or Marianne with the rooster on the reverse, struck from 1899 to 1914.

Some of the rooster coins were struck again later, in the 1950s, with the old dates. That is one of the reasons we look closely at each coin.

For a common date, the value mostly follows the gold price. For a rare date or a very well preserved coin, a collector may be more interested. Do you also have gold jewellery? See our page on selling antique jewellery.

What we look at to value an old coin

Metal and weight

We weigh each gold or silver coin and check its diameter. Fake gold coins exist. The weight, the edge and the look help to spot them.

Date and mint

Near the date, a small letter often shows the mint: A for Paris, BB for Strasbourg, for example. Some years and some mints produced few coins. Those are the ones collectors look for.

State of preservation

This is often what changes the value most. In France, condition is graded on a scale known to collectors: B (fine), TB (very fine), TTB (extremely fine), SUP (superb), SPL (splendid) and FDC (fleur de coin, as if just struck). A coin with little wear and crisp relief is worth more than a smooth one.

Medals

For a medal, we look at the engraver, the subject, the metal and the edge. Since 1880, medals struck by the Monnaie de Paris (the Paris Mint) carry a small horn of plenty on the edge, often with the name of the metal. Before that, other small marks were used. This helps to tell an old striking from a more recent one.

Mistakes to avoid before selling

• Never clean your coins. No vinegar, no cleaning product, no brush. A cleaned coin often loses a large part of its value to a collector.
• Hold them by the edge, with clean, dry fingers.
• Avoid soft plastic (PVC) sleeves: over time they can leave green marks on the coins.
• Do not sort them by keeping only the gold. A small copper coin can be rarer than it looks.
• Keep albums, boxed sets, original cases and purchase receipts.

How the valuation works in Paris and Île-de-France

The valuation is free and comes with no obligation. We travel for free to your home in Paris and anywhere in Île-de-France. You can also send us photos on WhatsApp: the front and back of each coin, lying flat, without flash. For a large collection, we prefer to come and see it.

If you sell, we buy with immediate payment, by bank transfer. For gold and precious metals, bank transfer is compulsory.

Coins are often found with other valuable items during an estate. We can look at everything at the same time. You can also find us at weekends on our stand at the Puces de la porte de Vanves flea market, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.

Photograph each coin on both sides, heads and tails, without rubbing them, and send the photos on WhatsApp to 06 24 56 38 58 (+33 6 24 56 38 58 from abroad). We will call you back if needed.