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French Gold 20 Franc Angel Coins

The original 'Angel' reverse on the 20F French coins issued between 1871-1898 was first depicted in 1791, following the 1789 revolution. The reverse depicts a winged figure writing the constitution of the new post-revolutionary France. A legend sprang up around these 'angel coins' on account of a story of how the designer of the coin, Augustine Dupré, escaped the execution during the Reign of Terror because the ‘Guardian Angel’ of the coin he was carrying in his pocket supposedly prevented the blade of the guillotine from falling!

20 Francs Angels - gVF-aEF

Date
Mintage
Price £
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1871-A
2,508,000
£
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1875-A
1,216,000
£
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1876-A
11,749,000
£
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1877-A
12,759,000
£
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1878-A
9,189,000
£
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1887-A
1,231,000
£
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1889-A
873,000
£
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1890-A
1,030,000
£
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1891-A
871,000
£
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1893-A
2,517,000
£
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1894-A
491,000
£
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1895-A
5,293,000
£
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1896-A
5,330,000
£
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1897-A
11,069,000
£
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1898-A
8,886,000
£
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20 Franc Angel

The story is almost certainly apocryphal, not just because of the lack of reliable records supporting it and the incredible nature of the story, but also because the other Roman imagery in the design and the general anti-clerical secularism of the Revolution, suggests that the winged figure is more likely to be a representation of a Roman Genius (or ‘Spirit’ of something, as in the ‘Spirit of the Revolution’) rather than an ‘angel’.
Nevertheless, the legend took on a life of its own, and to possess a coin with an ‘angel’ on was considered to bring the owner good luck. Napoleon’s failure at Waterloo was attributed to his misplacing of the coin which had previously brought him luck on his campaigns.
With the collapse of the Second French Empire in 1870, the new Third Republic resurrected the revolutionary-inspired design for the reverse of the gold 20F coin and maintained it until 1898. During the First World War, French soldiers often carried these as a talisman, and later, during the Second World War Herman Goering, the Head of the Luftwaffe, was said to have been obsessed by the luck that was allegedly inherent in these coins and looted as many as he could get hold of from occupied France to give to his ‘ace’ pilots to ensure that their luck would continue!
Regardless of how lucky these coins really are, the legends surrounding these particular coin types makes them one of the more interesting items we can offer for sale.

Obverse:

Denomination and date set within a wreath, surrounded by the revolutionary legend 'Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite' (Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood).

Reverse:

Winged Genius of the Revolution leaving against a column writing the the word 'Constitution', set above the signature of the engraver. With the Fasces (a Roman Republican symbol of authority) and a Rooster (the symbol of France) set on either side of the figure.

Technical Specifications

DenominationDiameterWeightFinenessGold Content
20 Francs216.45160.9000.1867

 

20 Franc - Our Choice

If you are not concerned by the design or date, we have "our choice" 20 francs available here

Postage & Packing

UK Registered Post (Special Delivery) £9 per order
EU Insured Post £10 per order
USA Airmail $10 per order
USA Insured Shipping $20 per order
Obverse of 1895 20 Francs

Obverse of 1895-A 20 Francs

France

20 Franc - Our Choice

Reverse of 1895 20 Francs

Reverse of 1895-A 20 Francs
 

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