Historical European Coins: Swiss 1 Rappen (1861) and Belgian 10 Centimes (1923)

This pair of vintage European coins consists of a Swiss 1 Rappen and a Belgian 10 Centimes piece. The first coin is a 1861-B Swiss Rappen, struck in bronze (copper/tin/zinc). It features the numeral '1' over the date '1861' and the Bern 'B' mint mark, enclosed within a circular oak wreath. The second coin is a 1923 Belgian 10 Centimes, identifiable by its iconic central hole. This holed variety is made of Cupro-nickel and features the French legend 'ROYAUME DE BELGIQUE' with the date '1923' and a crowned royal monogram of King Albert I (intertwined 'A'). Both coins exhibit a rich, darkened circulation patina with significant surface oxidation; the 1861 Rappen shows a brownish-orange copper tone while the 1923 piece has a greyish metallic tarnish typical of aged nickel alloys. Wear is evident on the relief details and rims, indicating they were heavily circulated currency from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are no significant gouges, but the softening of the lettering suggests a grade of approximately Good to Very Good (G/VG) for the Swiss piece and Fine (F) for the Belgian piece.