10 Euros Franche-Comté

Part of the Monnaie de Paris "Régions françaises" series issued across 2010 and 2011, this piece commemorates Franche-Comté, the eastern region historically contested between France and the Habsburg Empire for over two centuries before Louis XIV finally secured it by the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1678. The .500 fineness — half silver — was a deliberate cost control measure applied uniformly across the regional series, keeping retail prices accessible while maintaining a nominally precious metal product.