Mint State Gold

If coins are history in your hands, then the adage has never been truer than with the French Gold Napoleon. First issued in 1803, a year before Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor, the coins would feature an effigy of Bonaparte in both a bare-headed and laurel wreath-crowned version.

Having the distinction as being the first President and last monarch of France, Napoleon would reign from 1803 to 1814. Other versions of a Napoleon gold coin would continue to be struck until the beginning of World War I.

For the collector and investor, the Napoleon 20-franc size has proven to be in far less demand than other French Gold coins. Also, while larger coin sizes have been sought after by investors, demand for smaller 5 and 10-franc sizes have notably declined over the years. Due to these fluctuations in the market for the other denominations, an opportunity arose for the creation of other French 20-franc coins. The Napoleon 20-franc was followed by the more popular French Gold Rooster and French Gold Angel. The dynamic market for these coins allows for excellent deals for the investor looking for a Bullion Plus coin to add to a diversified gold bullion portfolio.

Other notable features of the French Gold Napoleon:

• Napoleon coins were originally minted in 20-franc and 40-franc denominations; the 20-franc coins were similar in diameter to the U.S. nickel while the 40 was about 5 mm larger (the 40-franc gold piece was never popular in circulation)
• Both the 20-franc and 40-franc coins are 90% pure gold
• Coins were made in various sizes and denominations including 5, 10, 20, 40, 50, and 100-francs; the 20-franc size is the most traded today with the most generally aggressive buyback values
• Napoleons were made in wide variety of different designs including coinages depicting the two Napoleons – Napoleon I (Bonaparte) and Napoleon III (Bonaparte’s nephew) – some coins bear the signature or identifying symbol of the master engraver of the dies; some coins were minted for a time in annexed or occupied countries – Italy, Switzerland, and the Netherlands – and a London mintage at the decree of King Louis XVIII in 1815; the Napoleon III coins would be minted in three versions
• The reverse of the coin would contain the letters RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (French Republic) until 1809, after it was EMPIRE FRANÇAIS (French Empire)
• Napoleons would become “The Euro before there was a Euro” across Europe as France attempted to create a Franc-based gold standard known as the Latin Monetary Union

To learn more about the French Gold Napoleon and see how it and other French Gold coins could fit into your investment portfolio, please contact us here and speak with an experienced Mint State Gold representative who’ll be happy to assist you any way they can.

French Gold Napoleon Coin Specifications

Continue reading →

On Wednesday Gold bottomed out at $1,197 and made a confirmed inter-day reversal, a very bullish move . . . .

The U.S. Dollar Index remains strong in the 97 area, but Gold demand and trading volume continues to grow . . . .

Investment Grade Coins are collectible coins that are scarce and highly sought after by collectors and investors alike. Forged with precious metals, this level of collectible coin offers an excellent profit potential for investors wanting to  . . . .

Most Americans want to retire with a secure nest egg (IRA) full of conservative investments with a track record of appreciation. Precious metals (Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium) have historically appreciated faster than traditional investments including Savings Accounts, CD’s, Bonds, Mutual Funds, the Stock Market, and Real Estate just to name a few. That said, there is an easy way to take your existing retirement account and invest it in Precious Metals with a Self-Direct Precious Metals IRA . . . .

The Bullion category encompasses both modern made items and/or historic coins no longer produced – mainly made from gold and silver but they can also be minted in other metals as well.  Gold bullion coins that are dated prior to 1933, are considered to be semi-numismatic and are in high demand by savvy investors because these coins are of high quality, limited supply, and have additional privacy benefits. Due to their increasing scarcity and quality these Bullion coins carry a slight premium. It’s usually a nominal amount between 5 to 15% above the value of the metal in the coin. Most modern made bullion coins have a premium ranging between 3-15% depending on supply and cost of manufacturing. Most savvy investors looking to buy Bullion coins will buy semi-numismatic gold bullion coins because they are a desirable investment for their portfolio. The also carry the added bonus of not requiring a 1099 reporting form when you decided to sell them! For those wanting to see ideal returns on these coins, we recommend holding bullion coins from anywhere between 3 months to several years. However, it can vary depending on the coin.