Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by Ben
French 20 Franc Gold Coins
The French 20 Franc Gold Coin is a staple in the world gold coin collecting category. The coins were minted between the years 1898 and 1914 and have long been loved by investors in fractional gold ounce products and those who are just starting out on their journey to become collectors of world coins. French 20 Franc Gold Coins are among the most popular with investors today, which has made them an excellent addition to your collection.
French 20 Franc Gold Coin
The French 20 Franc gold coin is one of the most popular coins in circulation around the world today. The coins have a smaller size and are made from .1867 ounces of 22k gold. They come in three different obverse designs; each worth is about 1/5th as much (1 ounce) but without the huge premium on the price that regular coin would bring with it.
French 20 Franc Gold Coins History and Background
The gold coins were minted by the renowned Paris Mint, known in French as the “Monnaie de Paris.” The French Mint was a private agency of the French government charged with minting and producing medals, coins, and other commemorative pieces. The origins can be traced back to 864, making it the oldest surviving institution in France.
The Rooster gold coin was the most popular of the French 20 Gold Francs series. It was made between 1898 and 1914. The first year of these coins is very rare. The coins with the dates 1907 to 1914 were made in Paris. They were first made in 1921 and then once more from 1951 to 1960. The French Monnaie de Paris minted golden francs for distribution periodically until France adopted the euro back in 2002.
The Production of the French Franc Coins
The Monnaie de Paris is a state-funded institution responsible for the striking of circulating and collector coins, medals, and official decorations. It also contains its historical manufacturing site in the center of Paris while having another plant at Pessac in France’s Gironde region.
The Hôtel de la Monnaie is a Neoclassical edifice. It was designed by Jacques-Denis Antoine and built from 1767–1775 on the left bank of the Seine. The Monnaie de Paris is the oldest French institution. It was founded in 864 by Charles the Bald. The institution has cultivated the highest metalwork tradition and possesses age-old expertise, which is still being used with great vitality.
The Monnaie de Paris carefully considers everything from design to materials, allowing the finest craftsmen of France all sorts of innovations for their products. Monnaie de Paris is an institution that serves the nation and promotes French values and culture. It is a key institution, and it has been around for a long time. Monnaie de Paris has special expertise in its job, so we can trust them to do good work.
French 20 Franc Gold Coins Physical Characteristics
Coin Design
The French 20 Franc Rooster Gold Coin is the perfect coin for any collector of coins with great detail. The front side features Marianne, who was designed by J.C Chaplain, and has a very detailed design to her frame that surrounds her words “REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE.”
The Third Republic rose after the fall of Napoleon III because of the ill-fated Franco-Prussian War in 1870. The aftermath led to an unstable confederation as a result, and this type of government only survived through World War II.
The back of coins is called the reverse. The coins’ reverses display the well-known unofficial symbol of France. The French people know the rooster as “le coq gaulois” and they have a 20 francs denomination. The date of mintage is also on it, along with LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE, which means Liberty Equality Fraternity in English.
The franc became nationally popular in the French Revolution, which toppled and beheaded King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette in the 1780s.
Specifications
Gold coins are a great way to amass a fortune, and French 20 Franc Gold Coins offer you nearly a full fifth of an ounce of pure gold at .1867 ounces. The coins’ specifications are as follows:
- Mass: 6.4516 g
- Thickness: 1.3 mm
- Diameter: 21 mm
- Content: 0.1867 troy oz
- Purity: 90.0% gold
Can IRA Accounts Contain French 20 Franc Gold Coins?
In any case, whether you are a collector or just looking for ways to stay diversified, it’s worth knowing the laws around French 20 Franc Gold Coins. It is entirely at the discretion of American tax authorities, which are governed by Internal Revenue Service policies and procedures as to how investment platforms may accept non-traditional assets. The IRS is very meticulous when determining the collectability values of your gold coins, as well as their purity.
Before opening up a contribution to this kind of self-directed IRA, you must engage in an initial purchase of $5000 worth of approved bullion. You can purchase later in the low minimum amount of only $1,000 more per precious metal.
If you already own a traditional IRA vehicle, you can roll it over into an IRA account with a gold-backed investment. You can use your new IRA account administrator to help you. Once the administrator places your order for bullion and receives it, they’ll dispatch them to the approved third-party vault that you choose. From there, you can request either a sale of coins or bars at any time, as well as take possession if needed from an IRA distribution.
France’s 20 Franc Gold Coins are not pure enough to satisfy IRS standards. The coins only contain a fineness of .900 gold, well below the minimum required standard for US currency is at least .995 purity level. This is not the only standard which they fail.
The IRA will not allow you to store these 20 franc gold coins. For some reason, they are too collectible and do not meet the standards for a precious metals IRA account.
This does not change the fact that these coins are still beautiful, historical, and fascinating. Don’t forget to collect them because they are also a part of European history. They are worth your time and money, so make sure you invest in other types of investment or retirement portfolios. You can buy these coins from dealers in Europe and beyond. Not every dealer will have them all the time, so it is good to ask them before you buy them.
French 20 Franc Gold Coins Pricing
The French 20 Franc Gold Coins were legal tender in the French Republic until 2002. They replaced their long-time currency, the franc, with the euro. The coins are no longer used for any legal functions in France.
The inherent value of the gold in these pieces has a resale value of more than $200. In practice, as an investment, it would be wiser to spend them on something else because they are worth so much money now and will only go up with time. The value of these coins is determined almost exclusively by the spot prices of gold on international markets. The popularity and collectors’ appeal give them an additional premium over the metals price, but this is still relatively small.
This intrinsic value creates the true worth of these French 20 Franc Gold Coins. The price of the market matters a lot. This is because it affects the value of the coins that people have in their portfolios. The premium over the spot on these coins is not as high as you would expect, given their popularity. The actual market value of these coins goes up and down along with gold prices, which can make them less popular in the bull run or bear markets for the metal.
Conclusion
The French 20 Franc Gold Coin is a beautiful piece of history that’s worth owning. The gold coin is a great investment opportunity for those who are looking to diversify their portfolio. It has the ability to grow in value over time and offers a good return on your initial investment.