French gold 20 Franc coins in our choice of year.
The Story of the Gold Franc
The first Francs were gold coins, issued by medieval French Kings. The name was revived for a new, decimalised national currency in introduced in the midst of the French Revolution in 1795. 1 Franc was worth 10 Décimes or 100 Centimes: a system that continued to be used until the Euro was adopted in 2002.
Gold coins, worth multiple Francs, were first minted in 1803 when Napoleon Bonaparte's was First Consul of France. These gold Francs served a similar purpose to the earlier French gold coin, the Louis D'Or. Initially, 20 and 40 Franc coins were issued, referred to as 'Napoléons', even when they no longer bore his likeness.
The gold 10 Franc coin was introduced in 1854, early in the reign of Napoleon III (nephew of Napoleon I) as Emperor of the French. They would be minted through the era of the Second Empire and through the Third Republic with the last of these coins minted in 1922.
10 Franc Specifications
Throughout the nearly seventy years that these coins were minted, gold 10 Francs maintained a consistent specification. They measured 19.00 millimetres in diameter and weighed 3.20 grams. With a fineness of 900.0, equivalent to 21.6 carats, French 10 Franc coins contained 2.88 grams of pure gold.
The engravings on these coins varied with early examples incorporating a portrait of Napoleon III. The most famous designs and those that appear in the image above incorporates two important symbols of France.
The obverse shows the profile of Marianne, crowned with oak leaves. She's the female personification of the French Republic as Britannia is to the British Isles. The reverse shows a rooster, also known as the Gallic cock: a symbol of courage and bravery. 'Gallus' in Latin means 'Gaul' but also 'rooster'. Gold 10 Franc coins featuring Marianne were minted in the early nineteenth century, several other designs were used previously.
Investing in French Gold
The gold content of these French coins means that they are VAT exempt in the UK and EU. You will still need to pay Capital Gains Tax on any profit you make above the UK Government's CGT allowance as 10 Franc coins are not legal tender in Britain.
Your French 10 Franc coins will be selected from our available stock. For our Best Value offers we cannot guarantee the specific year or years you will receive. If you order multiple 10 Franc coins you may find that their dates and designs vary significantly.
However, we can guarantee that your French 10 Franc coins will be in good to fair, circulated condition. These French gold coins do not have significant numismatic value but you can trust that their pure gold content will be as stated. You will not find any ex-jewellery mount coins or similarly damaged stock in your order.
Buy and sell coins with confidence when you use The Britannia Coin Company of Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire.
Buy Collectable Coins Online
We offer a wide range of collectable and investment coins in pre-owned and brand-new condition. As our name suggests, we focus on British coins (from hammered metal-detecting finds to modern Royal Mint issues) with a healthy selection of pieces from international mints too. All the coins we sell are 100% guaranteed authentic and, where relevant, are individually certified.
The Britannia Coin Company is part of the Gold-Traders group, founded in 2008. We're members of the British Numismatic Trade Association (BNTA) and pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity and expertise.
You're guaranteed a fully protected service when you buy online with The Britannia Coin Company. Our payment process is fully encrypted, preventing unauthorised access to your personal and financial details. Check your browser bar for the trusted padlock symbol: it's a mark of security.
Free And Insured UK Shipping
The price of all our coins includes free, fully insured UK shipping.
We post most orders within one to three working days of receipt. Please check individual product pages for accurate delivery estimates.
We deliver internationally. All payments are to be made in Pounds Sterling. We have a flat rate international shipping charge of just £15. See our dedicated delivery page for exceptions and further information.
Sell Your Coins With Confidence
Our experts want to make selling your coins a stress-free experience. They're ready to provide transparent valuations for your old coins: whether that's an individual piece or a large collection.
The team buys thousands of coins every month via our postal valuation service. It's a safe and easy way to sell coins from home with payment via bank transfer available the same day you confirm our price.
If you'd prefer to visit us in person, we've got secure, private meeting rooms in our offices at 29 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 7AE. We recommend calling ahead to book an appointment or check out one of our specialist drop-in valuation days.
Visit Our Wiltshire Showroom
If you're looking for a bargain then why not visit our showroom? We've got lots of great discount coins available in our cabinets at Old Bank Antiques.
From circulating £2s and 50ps to world coins, commemorative sets and new releases to ancients, we've got something for everyone. Make sure you save time to browse the glass, ceramics, jewellery, clocks and militaria on display in the rest of the shop, located at 143 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 7AB.
You won't find our full range on display in our showroom but if there is something particular you would like to examine then please do get in touch. We're pleased to arrange a private viewing appointment at a time that suits you.
Contact Our Coin Experts Now
Got questions about buying or selling coins? Our friendly team of numismatists (coin experts) are ready to assist with valuations, offers, postage enquiries, and more.
Call our enquiries line on 01793 205 007 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Drop us a line at coins@britanniacoincompany.com.
Message us using our live chat feature (that's the green button, found at the bottom right of this page).
Visit us at 29 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, SN4 7AB (we recommend checking our location map before you set out).
