The Lucky Angel
The French 20 Franc Angel is a circulated French gold coin, and it carries one of the best-known figures in European gold: a winged Genius bent over a tablet, drawn by Augustin Dupré. Each coin holds 0.1867 troy ounces of pure gold in a 90% fine alloy, a fraction of the gold in a one ounce coin.
Dupré’s Genius
The design goes back to the 1790s, when Dupré drew the Genius of the Constitution for the French Revolution. The Second Republic struck it in 1848 and 1849, and the Third Republic revived it in 1871 and kept it in production until 1898. The obverse shows the winged Genius writing on a tablet, a bundle of rods called a fasces standing at the left and a Gallic rooster at the right, with RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE around the top and Dupré’s signature below. The reverse places 20 FRANCS above the date inside a wreath of oak and laurel, with LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ around the border and the mintmark at the bottom. The edge carries the words DIEU PROTÈGE LA FRANCE, so the edge is lettered.
A Coin Built for Europe
France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland formed the Latin Monetary Union in 1865 and agreed on a common gold standard, and the French 20 franc coin was its model: 6.45 grams of .900 fine gold, 21 mm across. That is why the Angel is the same size and weight as the Swiss and Belgian 20 franc pieces of its day. The Rooster design replaced it after 1898. Dealers still call it the Lucky Angel, after a legend that Dupré escaped the guillotine because he was carrying the design. A story, not a record, but the name stuck.
Circulated, Dealer’s Choice
These are circulated coins, so expect some wear on the high points, contact marks and surface color that varies from coin to coin. They are listed as Almost Uncirculated. The date, mintmark and grade are dealer’s choice and cannot be requested, so the coin you receive may not match the one in the photos. This is a collectible, and its value comes from its gold, its condition and its history rather than its metal weight alone, so no two are alike.
France 20 Franc Angel Specifications
Each coin holds 0.1867 troy ounces of gold at .900 fine, weighs about 6.45 grams, and is 21 mm across and 1.3 mm thick. The denomination is 20 francs and the designer is Augustin Dupré. The edge is lettered rather than reeded. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.
France 20 Franc Angel FAQ
Why is it called the Lucky Angel?
A legend says Dupré escaped the guillotine because he was carrying the Angel design. It is a legend and no more, but dealers still use the name. Legend, not history, and the gold is what you are buying.
Is the edge reeded?
No. The edge carries the lettering DIEU PROTÈGE LA FRANCE, raised around the rim. A lettered edge, and no plain reeding.
What does Almost Uncirculated mean?
Almost Uncirculated, or AU, sits just below fully uncirculated. It means light wear, usually a slight softness on the highest points, with some mint luster often still showing. Light wear only is the expectation for this listing.
Can I choose the date or mintmark?
No. Dates, mintmarks and grades cannot be requested on this listing. Dealer’s choice applies to all three, and the photos show one example.
Is the French 20 Franc Angel IRA eligible?
No. Under federal tax law a coin counts as a collectible in an IRA unless it is a U.S. Mint or state-issued coin, and a French 20 franc piece is neither. Not IRA eligible, whatever its gold content.
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