LOT (35) MIXED DATE GOLD FRENCH 20 FRANCS 6.53 OUNCES US $4,050.00 (17 Bids) End Date: Saturday Jul-31-2010 20:10:45 PDT Add to watch list

French 20 Franc Gold Rooster 1912 UNC US $232.55 (9 Bids) End Date: Sunday Aug-01-2010 19:47:52 PDT Add to watch list

1910 French 20 Franc Gold Rooster Back US $188.00 (10 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Aug-03-2010 17:15:57 PDT Add to watch list

1855 Napoleon III Empereur 20 Francs France Gold Coin US $249.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Aug-04-2010 11:48:01 PDT Add to watch list

1899-A FRENCH 10 FRANCS GOLD COIN NO RESERVE US $38.00 (3 Bids) End Date: Thursday Aug-05-2010 18:37:15 PDT Add to watch list

1913 FRENCH 20 FRANCS ROOSTER GOLD COIN NO RESERVE US $87.00 (5 Bids) End Date: Thursday Aug-05-2010 18:43:31 PDT Add to watch list

FRANCE: 1896-A 20 Francs — ESPECIALLY AWESOME LOOKING! US $375.00 End Date: Friday Aug-06-2010 0:12:22 PDT Add to watch list

FIVE UNCIRCULATED FRENCH 20 FRANC GOLD ROOSTERS 1906-14 US $1,549.00 End Date: Saturday Aug-07-2010 19:05:52 PDT Add to watch list

1858 FRANCE FRENCH 100 FRANCS NAPOLEON GOLD COIN AU/UN US $1,599.99 End Date: Monday Aug-16-2010 14:50:02 PDT Add to watch list

Authentic France 20 FRANCS "Rooster Type" 1913 US $295.00 End Date: Thursday Aug-19-2010 11:17:41 PDT Add to watch list

Lot 10 GEM BU FRENCH 20 FRANC GOLD ROOSTER PRE-1933 US $3,049.00 End Date: Wednesday Aug-25-2010 19:10:48 PDT Add to watch list

1851 A FRANCE GOLD 10 Franc .0933 Ounce Pure Gold, VF US $179.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-26-2010 10:36:47 PDT Add to watch list

FRANCE: 1898-A 20 Francs ——— ART IN GOLD US $375.00 End Date: Friday Aug-27-2010 18:59:50 PDT Add to watch list

2005 AUSTRALIA $15 GOLD ROOSTER 1/10 OZ - NGC MS70 - 70 US $199.00 End Date: Saturday Aug-28-2010 10:03:28 PDT Add to watch list

Authentic France 20 FRANCS "Rooster Type" 1909 US $295.00 End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 14:25:17 PDT Add to watch list

Like most other European countries, France was also influenced by the production of various luxury coins that had a more superior finish and as such were mainly distributed among the wealthy class and not used as common currency. These ‘Monnaies de luxues’ coins as they were known were only specimen coins and not used for circulation. These coins were produced with very high quality finishes that made them better than some of the other proofs produced by other countries.

The first Franc Gold coin was struck in 1360 and depicted King John clad in armor astride a horse because of which it came to be known as franc à cheval. The franc was then dropped as the main currency of France before being reintroduced again during the 1795 revolution. During the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, there were many Gold French Coins that were produced which became popular with collectors. These coins bore the symbol of the Bonaparte Army along with the words ‘EMPIRE FRANCAIS’ imprinted along with the date of minting. These coins had different denominations of ₣5, ₣ 10, ₣ 20, ₣ 40, ₣ 50 and ₣ 100 with the ₣ 100 gold coins having a gold content of 0.9355. The percentage of gold purity in these coins ranged from 90.0% for the ₣5 to 92.0% purity for the ₣100 Monnaies de Luxe coins. Coins minted from 1899 to 1914 bore the dynamic image of the Gallic Rooster or Coq Gaulois, considered to be one of the French national symbols since the Middle Ages.

There are many French coins that are considered to be collector’s items even today on account of their rarity with the only exception being the French ₣20 “Roosters” which was widely available. The Gallic Rooster played an important role during the French Revolution and endured an image of confidence and pugnacity. This Rooster temporarily replaced the fleur-de-lis until Napoleon III reinstated it in the mid 1800’s. Other gold coins such as the Golden Angel of 1876 or the 1896 ₣20 coins are much scarcer.