French 20 Franc “Napoleon III”
Minted: 1852-1870
Fineness: .900
Actual Gold Weight: .1867 troy oz.
Twice as rare as French Angels. 10x rarer than French Roosters. 100x rarer than Swiss Helvetias!
Napoleon III was the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte and emperor of France from 1852 to 1870.
For much of the tumultuous 19th and 20th centuries, the “Napoleon”—as this coin is commonly called—was saved by well-heeled French investors hedging currency deterioration and war. Whenever you hear the stories of Frenchmen with ‘gold under the mattress,’ this is most likely the gold you would find there.
Napoleon III 20 francs are available readily in circulated condition, but more difficult to obtain in the uncirculated grade. When the uncirculated specimens appear in the market, they do so at much higher prices than the commonly available item, and they go quickly.