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Unique French Gold Coin – The Gallic Rooster – Now Available

Gold News

Historical Gold French Rooster Art Work on a Coin at an Affordable Price

The French Gold Rooster Coin is a gold coin minted in France during the Art Nouveau period (1890-1914). Art Nouveau founder Jules-Clément Chaplain, a famous sculptor and portrait artist, designed the front and back of the French Rooster Coins. The French Rooster coin has a 20 Franc face value and contains 0.1867 troy ounces of fine gold.

The front of the coin features a portrait of Marianne, the Goddess of liberty who symbolizes the French Republican State representing reason and liberty.

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The obverse of the French Gold Rooster coin features a bust of France’s national symbol, Marianne surrounded by the inscription “Republique Française” – the French Republic.

The reverse features the national symbol of France, the rooster.

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The reverse of the French Gold Rooster coin features a depiction of “le Coq Gaulois” and the words Liberté, égalité, fraternité meaning Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.

The edges of the French Gold Rooster coins also contain lettering. On coins minted between 1899-1904 the words Dieu protège la France (God protect France) appear. On coins minted from 1904-1914 the words Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité (Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity) are inscripted on the edges.

Le Coq Gaulois or The French Rooster

Why a rooster?

The Romans called the area of modern day France gallus, or Gaul. Gallus also means ‘coq’ in French or rooster in English. Gallus is translated to ‘Gaulois’ in French and hence the play on words “le Coq Gaulois”.

The French and other cultures have long revered the rooster. The rooster has been France’s official and unofficial national symbol throughout the centuries. The Rooster has adorned France’s church bell towers since the middle ages. Rooster are vigilant, and herald the bringing of light into the day by their distinctive cock-a-doodle-doo crow. The rooster has been emblazoned on the seal of the Republic of France since 1848 and is featured on France’s international sport team jerseys.

Why Marianne?

Marianne, the Goddess of liberty symbolizes the French Republican State representing reason and liberty. The French Republican state also represents a departure from the periods of time before the French Revolution of the late 18th century when France was ruled by a monarchy.

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Approximately 118 million French Gold Rooster coins were minted from 1899 to 1914.

The French Gold Rooster coins are an excellent way of buying gold bullion that also have historical and artistic significance. These conversation starter coins were minted from 1899 -1914 by the Paris Mint. Due to their relative abundance, French Gold Rooster coins remain affordable even after more than a century after their last mintage in 1914.

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This article by BGASC is not, and should not be regarded as, investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular course of action.