French 100 franc Angels are among the most impressive and desirable of all large European
Gold Coins minted pre-1933. Their magnificent 'Guardian Angel' design really pops from the surface of this huge, hefty issue, which is five times the weight of the extremely popular 20 franc Angel.
Similar in size to U.S. $20 Liberty and Saint-Gaudens double eagles, 100 franc Angels are far scarcer in Almost Uncirculated (AU) grade, yet they trade at just a small premium over the equivalent U.S. $20 gold coins of the same era, making them an outstanding value.
Their exceptional scarcity is due to their extremely low original mintages. Merely 458,082 coins were struck for the Entire Series, with only 10,000 to 30,000 produced each year. By contrast, U.S. $20 gold coins of the same era often had mintages of 1.5 million or more in a single year!
The 100 franc Angel features a lettered edge. From 1878 to 1906, the lettering read DIEU PROTÉGÉ LA FRANCE. From 1907 to 1914, it read LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ, the slogan of the French Revolution.
Highlights
- This item will be pulled from random dates.
- Contains .934 Troy oz of .9166 fine gold content.
- Exceptional scarcity, yet at an outstanding value.
History
Legend of the Lucky Angel
Originally created during the French Revolution by Augustine Dupré, the 'Guardian Angel' design was considered a lucky charm from the start. Dupré claimed to have been saved from the guillotine by the Angel coin in his pocket; French pilots in World War I rarely took flight without one in their kit; and German fighter pilots received an Angel for every fifth Allied plane shot down during World War II.
