History
One coin, three names
The 20 francs gold coin is perhaps the most trusted investment coin in Europe. Swiss, French or Belgian: under whatever name you know it, behind each variant lies a piece of pure gold with a rich monetary history.
The Swiss Vreneli was struck from 1897 and bears the face of “Verena”, the personification of Switzerland, against a backdrop of the Alps. With more than 58 million pieces struck, it is the most widespread Swiss gold coin ever. Rare years such as 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1926 can carry a higher numismatic value.
The French Napoleon goes back to 1803 and for more than a century bore the portrait of the reigning ruler. More than 340 million pieces were struck, making it one of the most-minted gold coins in the world.
The Belgian Leopold II, also known as the “Belgian Louis”, was struck from 1867 and played a key role in the Belgian economy. The edge inscription “Dieu Protège la Belgique” makes it a tangible piece of Belgian heritage.
What makes these three coins unique: in 1865 they were declared mutually interchangeable within the Latin Monetary Union, a “euro avant la lettre” in which France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy standardised their gold coins.
