French 100 Franc Gold

French 100 Franc Gold History

The coinage of France changed much in the 19th century; unsurprising perhaps considering the changes to the political and social systems in the country at the time.

After almost 50 years of the Half-Franc, One-Franc, and 40-Franc coinage, 1855 saw the introduction of new gold coinage. The gold 100 French Franc coin came as part of this, and would continue to be produced sporadically for about 80 years.

The original 100 Franc coins featured the portrait of Emperor Napoleon III. A redesign was issued in 1878 featuring a guardian angel writing the French constitution on a tablet.

Some of the 100 Franc coins are very rare; the 1889 issue for example was proof only, with just 100 coins struck.

As in the UK, France’s coinage was severely affected by the First World War and many coins were debased. Nickel became a common choice, with some aluminium and bronze also used. When the war ended, silver coins were reintroduced, and a few very rare gold 100 Francs were issued between 1929 and 1936.

French 100 Franc Gold Price

French 100 Franc Gold coin prices are derived from the value of the gold each coin contains. Each French 100 Franc gold coin weighs 32.25 grams, and is struck to a purity of 21 carat, meaning they contain 29.03 grams of pure gold.

French 100 Franc Gold coin prices can vary thanks to the coin's history and numismatic appeal, with certain years or designs being particularly desirable with collectors. The price of a new French 100 Franc gold coin will typically be based on today's gold price, with a small premium to cover the cost of manufacturing and supply of the coin. Older or rare French 100 Franc gold coins can cost considerably more than the UK gold price. With the global price of gold being primarily calculated in dollars, periods in which the pound is weak versus the dollar will see UK French 100 Franc gold coin prices rise, while a strong pound would see lower prices in the UK.

Our French 100 Franc gold coin prices are displayed in real-time, updating every two minutes in-line with the current gold spot price. Investment gold is VAT-free, and the French 100 Franc gold coin price shown includes fully insured delivery.

French 100 Franc Gold Coin Specification

French 100 Franc gold coins weigh 32.25g with a diameter of 34mm. French 100 Franc Gold coins are manufactured from 21 carat gold.

French 100 Franc Gold Value

Investors often ask what is the value of a French 100 Franc gold coin ? French 100 Franc gold coins have a face value of 100 francs. It is important to note that the face value is a nominal amount that has no bearing on the actual value of the coin. As mentioned, the French 100 Franc gold coins main value can usually be worked out based on the current gold price. It is this simplicity that makes gold bullion coins appealing. They are bought and sold based on their intrinsic metal value without having to worry about any numismatic value and more complicated selling process.

You can always find a simple benchmark value for a French 100 Franc gold coin thanks to the publicly available spot price. The value of a French 100 Franc gold coin is therefore generally the same regardless of the year and is just based on the metal content. Some years of French 100 Franc gold coin might command a further premium. A lower mintage, or special design could see their value increase beyond their metal content.

The easiest way to work out a French 100 Franc Gold coin value is to use its gold weight of 29.03 grams and multiply that by the current gold spot price in grams. As a coin with a purity of 900 fineness, it's important to calculate the 21 carat French 100 Franc gold coin value, to ensure you have an accurate price.

How Much are French 100 Franc Gold Coins Worth?

If you are wondering how much are French 100 Franc Gold coins worth, a simple rule of thumb is that a French 100 Franc gold coin has 29.03g of pure gold, or 0.93 troy ounces. If you see the gold price in troy ounces you can therefore work out how much a French 100 Franc gold coin is worth quite quickly.