How Much Is a 20 Franc Napoleon Gold Coin Worth Today?

The answer fits in one sentence: a 20 franc Napoleon is worth its 5.805 grams of fine gold multiplied by the gold price per gram. As long as we are talking about the metal value, the calculation is always the same, whatever the coin's year or portrait. Here is today's indicative value, fetched automatically from the same source as the 20 franc Napoleon factsheet in our catalogue, with its update date and time.

The 20 franc Napoleon is France's best-known gold coin. It was first struck under Napoleon I in 1803, then again under Napoleon III, before later French portraits kept the same format. Its weight, fineness and diameter remained almost unchanged for more than a century, which makes it easy to identify. The specifications below are read directly from its factsheet in our catalogue, with no manual entry:

These figures match the monetary standard known as the Latin Monetary Union, shared by several European countries in the 19th century. That is why other 20-franc coins contain exactly the same amount of gold, as we will see below.

The calculation takes two steps, with no figure entered by hand:

With today's price, here is the result, calculated automatically when this page is displayed:

This amount moves constantly with the gold price. To follow its changes, visit our precious metal prices page, updated throughout the day with the time of the latest update.

The value shown on this page is the indicative metal value: what the gold inside the coin is worth, nothing more. At a dealer, the real price is almost always different, for two reasons:

This gap between the purchase price and the buyback price is what you must recover before making a profit. To understand this mechanism in detail, read our article “Gold and Silver Premiums: Definition and Calculation”. We name no dealer and no precise price here: premiums vary from one professional to another and from one day to the next.

The 20 franc Napoleon is not the only coin containing 5.805 g of fine gold. The Swiss 20 franc Vreneli and the Latin Union 20 francs share exactly the same specifications: 6.45 g at 900 ‰ fineness. This harmonisation is the legacy of the Latin Monetary Union, which aligned the currencies of several countries to make trade easier. At the same gold price, the metal value of these three coins is therefore identical; only their premium and popularity can differ.

One Napoleon is a start; a portfolio is tracked coin by coin. With the Metalstat calculator, estimate the metal value of your coins, bars and jewellery at today's prices, in seconds. By creating a free account, you can record up to 15 items at no cost, and their values are recalculated automatically on every visit. To go further, browse our coin catalogue and its detailed factsheets, and discover our plans on the pricing page.

How much gold does a 20 franc Napoleon contain? A 20 franc Napoleon weighs 6.45 g at 900 ‰ fineness, which is 5.805 g of fine gold. That pure gold weight is the basis for calculating its metal value.

Is a 20 franc Napoleon worth more than its gold weight? Its metal value corresponds exactly to its fine gold weight multiplied by today's price. At a dealer, the quoted price generally includes a premium when buying, and the buyback comes with a slight discount. Some rare years or coins in very fine condition can also interest collectors.

What is the difference between a Napoleon and a 20 franc Louis d'or? Both coins share the same weight and fineness: 6.45 g at 900 ‰. The 20 franc Louis d'or, struck under Louis XVIII and Charles X, is older; the word “Napoleon” has become the common name for all French 20-franc gold coins, whatever their portrait.

Where can I see today's gold price? On our precious metal prices page, updated throughout the day, with the date and time of the latest update.