This golden French coin was issued during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, who seized power in France after its Revolution in 1789 and subsequent fall of House Bourbon. Though widely celebrated as one of the greatest military minds in history, Napoleon’s rule was not without controversy.

Origin

Born in Corsica shortly after the island was annexed by France, Napoleon hailed from a family which was part of the Italian minor nobility. He was in the French military during the start of France’s Revolution in 1789, and rose quickly through its ranks.  This enabled him to initiate a campaign against Austria and its Italian allies, in which he achieved numerous victories which propelled him to national hero status.

A couple of years later, he began another campaign in Egypt which played a key role in his political rise. This set the stage for his coup which he initiated in November of 1799 which enabled him to become First Consul. Disputes between France and the United Kingdom started the Third Coalition War in 1805, where Napoleon demonstrated his remarkable military genius by defeating his enemies on multiple occasions, especially at the Ulm and Austerlitz, actions which caused the Holy Roman Empire’s demise.

Napoleon’s successes continued during the Fourth and Fifth Coalition conflicts, where he crushed the Prussians at the battles of Auerstedt and Jena, as well as the Russians at Friedland in 1807. He also won another decisive victory at Wagram. However, his disastrous Russian invasion during 1812 would seal his doom; as it resulted in the large scale destruction of his famed Grande Armée, and though he attempted resurgence, he would again be defeated at Leipzig and more famously Waterloo in 1815, resulting in his final exile to Saint Helena Island. Aside from his military successes, he is also noted for the liberal reforms that he brought to the nations under his rule, especially in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and much of Western Europe.

Features

Leaders throughout history have wanted their faces immortalized on coinage, and Napoleon was no exception. This coin was struck early in his reign and was a way of solidifying his power. Its obverse side depicts a side profile of Napoleon’s head, while the reverse showcases the denomination, which was twenty Francs inside a wreath where the date can be seen below. On the left you can see a rooster, and on the right a mint mark can be found. The coin’s rim near the top has an engraving which says “EMPIRE FRANCAIS.”

The coin was struck from 1806 until 1815, and while many specimens are in an Average Circulated condition, it can also be found in grades such as NGC XF45. It has a gold purity of .900, weight of 0.1867 troy ounces with a diameter of 21 mm and a 1.30 mm thickness. It is estimated that approximately 964,000 units were issued. The most prized coins are those which retain their original golden color tone, especially with the luster in certain areas which highlight their detail.