10 francs FRANCE (1974-1987)

in the coin centre stylised map of France with rays going from Paris; among rays letters: RF (République Française - French Republic); along the top edge: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE; along the bottom edge year of issue

in the coin centre face value: 10 FRANCS; in the background pieces of industrial architecture - symbol of modern France

plain with concave inscription: LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ (motto of France - liberty, equality, fraternity) divided by olive branch, laurel branch and cereal ear

8 XI 1974

1 VII 1993

Atelier de gravure (group of designers of the Paris Mint) based on design of Georges Mathieu (stylised signature MATHIEU on the left side of the map in the obverse)

La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year of issue in the obverse, after year of issue privy mark of mint's director Émile Rousseau - dolphin)

1974	22 347 511	+ 98 800 in annual boxed sets
1975	48 262 511	+ 52 000 in annual boxed sets
1976	94 503 211	+ 37 500 in annual boxed sets
1977	100 027 511	+ 25 000 in annual boxed sets
1978	97 590 011	+ 24 000 in annual boxed sets
1979	110 000 011	+ 40 500 in annual boxed sets
1980	79 950 011	+ 60 000 in annual boxed sets
1981	24 011	+ 26 000 in annual boxed sets
1982	45 811	+ 27 500 in annual boxed sets
1983	84 411	+ 16 561 in annual boxed sets
1984	39 988 011	+ 13 836 in annual boxed sets
1985	29 988 011	+ 12 500 in annual boxed sets
1987	49 981 011	+ 11 956 in annual boxed sets

Privy marks of the general engravers of the Mint of Paris, which can be found on French coins produced after 1944:

Lucien Bazor	1931-1958		wing
Raymond Joly	1958-1974		owl
Emile Rousseau	1974-1994		dolphin
Pierre Rodier	1994-2000		bee
Gérard Buquoy	2001-2002		horseshoe
Serge Levet	2003		heart
Hubert Larivière	2004-2010		horn
Yves Sampo	from 2011		rosette

The Paris Mint (La Monnaie de Paris) dating back to the 6th century is the oldest French institution, and some would say - oldest institution in the world. The mint office is located in the center of Paris in a complex called Hotel des Monnaies, which was opened on December 20, 1775. A cornucopia is the symbol placed on any coin minted by the Paris Mint from January 1, 1880. The second character visible on coins was a symbol of the general engraver (Graveur general). The tradition of this job dates back to 1547 when Henry II of Valois appointed a general engraver as the only person authorized to create the king's portrait. Only the design prepared by the general engraver could have been copied to the coins stamps in national mints. Starting from 2001, the heads of engravers workshop in the Paris Mint do not hold this traditional title anymore, but their privy marks still appear on French coins next to the mint mark.

The name of the French mint - La Monnaie de Paris - suggests that the plant producing coins is located in the French capital. This is however, only the company name and factories were placed in various French cities. At the moment, the only place producing coins of France (and of some other countries) is Pessac near Bordeaux.