The French Napoleon III Coin is a beautiful gold coin minted in France with a 20 Franc face value and 0.1867 troy ounces of actual gold weight (approximately 5.8 grams). Struck during the reign of Napoleon III (1853-1870), these classic French Gold coins would enhance any Gold coin collection. The date on the Gold Napoleon III coins you buy from BGASC will be chosen at random from our available inventory.

Coin Highlights

• Contains .1867 oz of pure gold (AGW)
• Struck between 1852-1870
• Obverse depicts a likeness of Napoleon III
• Reverse displays the date, denomination (20 Francs) and country of origin (French Empire)
• Edge Lettering reads, “Dieu protge la France”
• Face Value: 20 Francs

Obverse
There are two versions of the Napoleon III 20 Franc: the Bare Head and the Laureate Head. Both display a portrait of Napoleon III, but the latter shows the emperor wearing a wreath. The inscriptions “NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR” appear at the edge along the name “BARRE” as a nod to the coin’s designer. The Bare Head style was struck from 1852 to 1860, while the laureate edition was made from 1861 to 1870.

Reverse
When the portrait of Napoleon was modified in 1861, the coin’s reverse underwent a redesign too. The 1852 to 1860 Bare Head version features a wreath with the country of origin (“EMPIRE FRANCAIS”) at the edge, along with the date and denomination in the center. The coin’s mintmark is engraved at the bottom; A refers to the Paris Mint while BB is the mintmark of the Strasbourg facility. On the 1861 to 1870 edition, meanwhile, the wreath is replaced by the empire’s coat of arms.

About the Napoleon III 20 Franc Gold Coin
The reign of Napoleon III was marked by turmoil, war, and controversy. One could argue that Napoleon III had the ambition and drive of his uncle (the famous Napoleon I), but lacked the same level of military and leadership skill. Nonetheless, the French ruler projected an image of power on this country’s coinage. The 20 Franc proudly declared Napoleon III as the emperor. Even though France as a nation had its ups and downs in the mid-late 19th century, its 20 Franc gold pieces became one of the world’s most popular coins. To this day, it remains a trusted and low-premium means of owning gold.

Each Gold Napoleon coin is packaged and shipped inside of a protective coin flip.