10 cent. french indochina. fake?

Found this in my change one day. I really liked the design. Tried to look up exactly what it is and its history.

The date on the front (1903) and the percent silver on the back (.680) apparently don't match each other. So I'm still not sure what it is.


If anyone knows anything about this, I'd really appreciate the information.

It is a nice coin...but these are commonly faked and yours looks pretty amazing for a 100+ year old coin.

Send some clearer images and some of the errors can be pointed out to you other than the ones you have already mentioned.


You found this in your change?

Not the 1st time I've seen this kind of fakes on Numista ID. The reverse is taken from another series, aka. 1921-1937 series in your example. The only interesting thing you can try to do is investigating about its composition... Did you try the magnet test?

Please read these:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/FRANCAISE-coins-5pcs-lot-Antique-brass-silver-coin-silver-1908-French-coins-simulation-NO-184/32475666683.html?spm=2114.40010308.4.5.qdPwzy
http://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins?main_coin=2412
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/China-Old-Collectible-Miao-Silver-1908-Republique-Francaise-Coin-Commerce/2047966770.html?spm=2114.40010308.4.21.jtrqol

Better? I assumed it wasn't real because it looks way too good to be that old. Didn't see any obvious indications until I tried to look up what it is and those numbers didn't match.

I don't know a lot about coins, but have a job where I handle a lot of them sometimes. I like to "steal" the odd ones by replacing them with the appropriate US coin. This was in a bunch of dimes, so I swapped it out with a dime and brought it home.

how do I test composition?

anyway, thanks for the help. I look forward to interacting with this community and learning more about coins.

Only few people can easily test. Professionals who have skills in jewelry or in numismatics may test them.

Citeer: "chomp-master"​Only few people can easily test. Professionals who have skills in jewelry or in numismatics may test them.

​Rubbish, you can test it with an ice cube or a glass of water, or just by dropping it on a table.

The icecube test hold the coin on the edges and press the icecube on the face of the coin. Silver is the the metal that best conducts heat, so if you feel the cold on the edges of the coin instantly and the icecube melts onto the coin then it is silver.

The glass of water test can be found here in the Numisdoc section https://en.numista.com/numisdoc/measure-a-coin-s-density-27.html

Silver rings with a certain sound when dropped on the desk. So drop a coin you know to be silver on a table, drop a coin you know to be cu-ni on the table to compare the sound, then drop your coin and see if it sounds like silver or not.

Never eared about such method, really interesting

Your coin is a fake.
Did it circulate?
There are other fakes with the TITRE/GRAMS inscription completely wrong
http://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins?main_coin=2412

This one is genuine

Citeer: "neilithic" or just by dropping it on a table.

​Silver rings with a certain sound when dropped on the desk. So drop a coin you know to be silver on a table, drop a coin you know to be cu-ni on the table to compare the sound, then drop your coin and see if it sounds like silver or not.

​Better than dropping is an other 'ping'-test:
Put the coin on the tip of your finger. Then tap it gently with something hard plastic.
It should give a long cristal clear sound.
Something like this, but I should not tap it with metal (damage):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r396vrEfLw4
To compare, do it with a coin that you are sure of it is silver.
This test is indeed difficult for small coins.

Drop test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VCDWYr0hvc

Citeer: "Frenchlover"​It is an imitation.
​

​We already know it is, you're coming too late

Actually kinda already knew (and hoped?) it was fake. If it were real and in such good condition, I'd probably feel obligated to get it in the hands of a "real" collector who would probably take better care of it.

Tried this ring test. Maybe a problem with my method, but it rang longer and clearer than a 1953 US Roosevelt dime and a 1945 Swiss half-franc. Modern Roosevelt dime made more of a "tink." was a really short ring to it.

Does size of the coin affect its sound, or just composition?

Yes the size of the coin does affect how long it rings, which is why I put that test last out of the three methods I suggested. I've found that the quickest and easiest method to test silver is the icecube test.

It's not just coin collectors that use it. Here's a bullion hoarder using a similar method to test silver bars. Ignore what he says at the end about testing it with acid, that is NOT a method you want to use to test coins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYh3SlRK0w

I do not have ice in my pockets when I am in a coin shop....

Take a set of scales then

Most coin shops will have catalogues you can compare weights to.

Ice cube test

The ice cube test can be found on youtube too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYh3SlRK0w

Already linked to that video earlier in the thread

Correct, sorry

I also got a weird 10 cents 1937, but with an A mint mark, 

Also weight is 2.12 grams instead of 2.7.

But i am pretty sure thats silver though.

 

Any opinions?

Were made by and for Mung people. Here are 8  20 cent ones and for dress and jewelry.

The date and mint do not match up. Mine are a silver too , but not coins. There is a large Mung population here. Have a few 10 to.

I got mine from USA also 

Mind all have small holes to be sewed on dress and hats

Any value to them? 

If the higher grade ones some silver. But very low in silver.