Obverse: identify the front

Hercules stands between two female allegorical figures beneath LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE. Inspect the group, surrounding legend and engraver’s signature together. The source filename incorrectly names the Fifth Republic; the actual 1873 coin and original description establish the Third Republic.

Reverse: identify the back

5 FRANCS and the actual date 1873 appear within a wreath beneath REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE. The illustrated piece has an A mint mark below the wreath. Preserve the complete mint details and do not change the denomination to fit a familiar Hercules design.

History and purpose

The matching reference KM820.1 record lists the ordinary A-marked issues from 1870 through 1878 and a later 1889 proof entry. The French museum’s original collection description independently identifies the Third Republic Hercules type. The year endpoints therefore describe a reference span, not annual circulation production.

How to identify this variant

Read 5 FRANCS, the date and mint mark alongside the full allegorical group. The reference gives .900 silver, 25 g gross and .7234 oz ASW. The museum’s indexed collection record gives a 37 mm diameter for the historic type. Similar Hercules imagery appears on other denominations; it cannot establish this metal content by itself.

Understanding its metal content

Three matching coins total 2.1702 fine silver troy oz on this reference basis. Separately multiplying 25 g by 0.900 gives 22.500 g of nominal silver, or approximately 0.723392 troy oz. The calculator uses the reported reference ASW; it does not silently replace that amount with extra decimal places derived from rounded inputs. Wear, mounts and foreign material require separate examination.

Dates, varieties and composition changes

Keep A and K issues, unusual dates and proof descriptions separately recorded. The reference distinguishes Paris KM820.1 from Bordeaux KM820.2; both references agree on the nominal silver basis reviewed here. Earlier republican Hercules issues and later ten- or fifty-franc designs require their own identity boundaries rather than being silently folded into this entry.

Melt value versus collector value

Preserve mint letters, edge lettering, toning and any provenance. A difficult date, original surface or proof attribution can matter beyond nominal silver. Cleaning an old circulation piece to expose lettering can damage evidence that an appraiser needs.

Authenticity and condition

Identify both designs, the complete denomination, actual date and mint details before using the quantity field. Preserve the surface and original holder; do not clean, scratch, bend or acid-test a collectible coin. A plausible weight or resemblance to the reference photographs cannot establish authenticity. Record the rim, scale reading and readable inscriptions for an individual review, and keep uncertain pieces outside the calculated lot.

Selling this coin

Sort this identified type separately from coins with a similar name but another denomination or alloy. Photograph both sides and preserve packaging, certificates and prior provenance. Count the matching pieces and use the existing quote form, which carries the selected coin context. Reference silver content and a collector premium are different parts of appraisal; the calculator does not create an offer for an unseen specimen.

Sources and calculation methodology

The named world silver table omits this historic five-franc type. The exact the reference 1873-A KM820.1 record supplies .900, 25 g and .7234 oz ASW. The original museum record’s 37 mm display was reviewed in its indexed excerpt; direct full-page retrieval was unavailable. That dimensional record is separate from the reference’s controlling metal inputs. The reference governs uncertain metal specifications under the owner-selected source policy. Face identification and photograph reuse rights were reviewed separately. These figures describe reference coinage, not a first-party assay or condition grade. No approved live market feed is connected, so the calculator reports metal quantities without inventing dollar prices.

Common questions

References

• NGC: exact 1873-A Hercules five-franc KM820.1 — identity; weight 25 g; fineness .900; ASW .7234; dates 1870–1878 and 1889 proof; design Hercules and denomination/wreath (checked 2026-10-10)

Issue-year references

• PCGS: Third Republic Hercules five-franc dated circulation and proof issues

Content maintained by CashForCoins. Last substantive record update: 2026-10-11. Report a specification or attribution issue through our contact page.

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