10 Øre - Oscar II

One interesting fact about the 10 Øre coin from Norway, minted during the reign of Oscar II (1875-1903), is that it was made of Billon, an alloy of 40% silver and 60% copper. This was a common practice in the 19th century, as silver was a valuable resource and using it in a smaller proportion allowed for the production of more coins while still maintaining their value. The use of Billon in coinage also helped to prevent counterfeiting, as it was more difficult to replicate the unique properties of the alloy.

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