1886 FRENCH 100 FRANCS A Mint MS63
080-00423
This 1886-A French 100 Francs Gold "Lucky Angel" Stands As A Pinnacle Of 19Th-Century European Numismatic Artistry. Graded Ms63, This Specimen Exhibits A Remarkable Preservation Of Its Original Mint Luster, With Only Minor, Scattered Contact Marks That Do Not Detract From The Striking Visual Appeal Of The Iconic Augustin Dupré Design. The Obverse Features The "Standing Genius," A Celestial Figure Drafting The French Constitution, Flanked By A Fasces And The Gallic Rooster. The Reverse Is Equally Stately, Displaying The Denomination And Date Within A Lush Laurel Wreath, Framed By The Legendary Edge Lettering: "Dieu Protégé La France."
The Primary Allure Of This Specific Issue Lies In Its Exceptional Numismatic Value When Viewed Through The Lens Of Scarcity. Struck At The Paris Mint (Signified By The "A" Mint Mark), The 1886-A Has A Remarkably Low Mintage Of Just 38,892 Coins. To Put This Rarity Into Perspective, One Must Look At Contemporary United States 1-Ounce Gold Coinage. Common-Date Us Double Eagles, Such As The 1904 Liberty Head Or The 1924 Saint-Gaudens, Possess Mintages Exceeding 6.2 Million And 4.3 Million Pieces Respectively.
Even Though This French 100 Francs Contains Approximately 0.9334 Oz Of Actual Gold Weight—Nearly Identical To The 0.9675 Oz Of A Us Double Eagle—Its Production Volume Is A Mere Fraction Of Its American Counterparts. In The Us Market, A Coin With A Mintage Under 40,000 Would Often Command A Staggering Five-Figure Premium In Mint State. In Contrast, The 1886-A 100 Francs Offers The Sophisticated Collector A Rare Opportunity To Own A Low-Mintage, Large-Format Gold Treasure At A Value Proposition That Far Outclasses Common Bullion-Adjacent Us Coinage. For The Collector Who Prioritizes Historical Significance And Genuine Rarity Over Mass-Produced Volume, This Ms63 Lucky Angel Is An Indispensable Acquisition.
The Term "Lucky Angel" Is One Of Those Rare Instances Where A Symbol Of Enlightenment-Era Secularism Was Transformed By History Into A Legendary Religious-Style Talisman. While You'll Hear Every Collector Call It An "Angel," The Figure Is Technically A "Winged Genius" (Génie Aile) Of The French Repub
Here Is The Breakdown Of How A Piece Of Revolutionary Currency Became The World's Most Famous Lucky Charm:
1. The Guillotine Escape (The Legend Of Augustin Dupre)
The Story Begins With The Coin's Designer, Augustin Dupré. In 1792, During The Height Of The French Revolution's "Reign Of Terror," Dupré Reportedly Fell Out Of Favor With The Revolutionary Authorities And Was Sentenced To The Guillotine.
According To Numismatic Lore, As He Stood Before The Blade, He Clutched One Of His Newly Minted Gold Coins And Began To Pray. A Sudden, Miraculous Lightning Strike (Or, In More Practical Versions, A Well-Timed Bribe Of The Gold Coin To A Guard) Delayed The Execution Just Long Enough For Him To Receive A Last-Minute Pardon. Dupré Credited The "Angel" On His Coin For Saving His Neck, And The Legend Was Born.
2. Napoleon's Misfortune
The Coin's Reputation For Luck Was So Potent That Napoleon Bonaparte Reportedly Carried A French Angel In His Pocket Throughout His Military Campaigns. The Legend Takes A Dark Turn At The Battle Of Waterloo: It Is Said That Napoleon Lost His Lucky Coin The Night Before The Battle. His Subsequent Defeat Only Solidified The Belief That The Coin Was A Powerful Protector-And That Losing It Was A Death Sentence For One's Fortunes.
3. A Maritime & Military Tradition
The "Luck" Wasn't Just For Emperors And Engravers. By The 19Th Century, The Coin Became An Essential"Equipment" Piece For:
• French Sea Captains: Many Refused To Set Sail Without An Angel In Their Cabin To Protect Against Shipwrecks.
• WWI And WWII Pilots: Both French And American Fighter Pilots Often Carried These Coins. During World War Il, Many Luftwaffe Pilots Even Sought Them Out, Believing The "Angel" Would Protect Them From Being Shot Down.
The Irony Of The Design
The Irony Of The "Lucky Angel" Moniker Is That The Design Was Intended To Be Purely Secular And Political. On The Coin, The Genius Is Shown Writing The Word "Constitution" (Or Loi-Law) On A Tablet.
• The Rooster: Represents Vigilance And The Gallic Heritage.
• The Fasces: Represents Strength Through Unity.
• The Genius: Represents The Spirit Of The Republic.
Despite Being A Tribute To The "Reign Of Law" And Human Reason, The Coin Is Now Cherished For The Very Thing The Revolutionaries Tried To Move Away From: Divine Intervention And Supernatural Luck.
The Primary Allure Of This Specific Issue Lies In Its Exceptional Numismatic Value When Viewed Through The Lens Of Scarcity. Struck At The Paris Mint (Signified By The "A" Mint Mark), The 1886-A Has A Remarkably Low Mintage Of Just 38,892 Coins. To Put This Rarity Into Perspective, One Must Look At Contemporary United States 1-Ounce Gold Coinage. Common-Date Us Double Eagles, Such As The 1904 Liberty Head Or The 1924 Saint-Gaudens, Possess Mintages Exceeding 6.2 Million And 4.3 Million Pieces Respectively.
Even Though This French 100 Francs Contains Approximately 0.9334 Oz Of Actual Gold Weight—Nearly Identical To The 0.9675 Oz Of A Us Double Eagle—Its Production Volume Is A Mere Fraction Of Its American Counterparts. In The Us Market, A Coin With A Mintage Under 40,000 Would Often Command A Staggering Five-Figure Premium In Mint State. In Contrast, The 1886-A 100 Francs Offers The Sophisticated Collector A Rare Opportunity To Own A Low-Mintage, Large-Format Gold Treasure At A Value Proposition That Far Outclasses Common Bullion-Adjacent Us Coinage. For The Collector Who Prioritizes Historical Significance And Genuine Rarity Over Mass-Produced Volume, This Ms63 Lucky Angel Is An Indispensable Acquisition.
The Term "Lucky Angel" Is One Of Those Rare Instances Where A Symbol Of Enlightenment-Era Secularism Was Transformed By History Into A Legendary Religious-Style Talisman. While You'll Hear Every Collector Call It An "Angel," The Figure Is Technically A "Winged Genius" (Génie Aile) Of The French Repub
Here Is The Breakdown Of How A Piece Of Revolutionary Currency Became The World's Most Famous Lucky Charm:
1. The Guillotine Escape (The Legend Of Augustin Dupre)
The Story Begins With The Coin's Designer, Augustin Dupré. In 1792, During The Height Of The French Revolution's "Reign Of Terror," Dupré Reportedly Fell Out Of Favor With The Revolutionary Authorities And Was Sentenced To The Guillotine.
According To Numismatic Lore, As He Stood Before The Blade, He Clutched One Of His Newly Minted Gold Coins And Began To Pray. A Sudden, Miraculous Lightning Strike (Or, In More Practical Versions, A Well-Timed Bribe Of The Gold Coin To A Guard) Delayed The Execution Just Long Enough For Him To Receive A Last-Minute Pardon. Dupré Credited The "Angel" On His Coin For Saving His Neck, And The Legend Was Born.
2. Napoleon's Misfortune
The Coin's Reputation For Luck Was So Potent That Napoleon Bonaparte Reportedly Carried A French Angel In His Pocket Throughout His Military Campaigns. The Legend Takes A Dark Turn At The Battle Of Waterloo: It Is Said That Napoleon Lost His Lucky Coin The Night Before The Battle. His Subsequent Defeat Only Solidified The Belief That The Coin Was A Powerful Protector-And That Losing It Was A Death Sentence For One's Fortunes.
3. A Maritime & Military Tradition
The "Luck" Wasn't Just For Emperors And Engravers. By The 19Th Century, The Coin Became An Essential"Equipment" Piece For:
• French Sea Captains: Many Refused To Set Sail Without An Angel In Their Cabin To Protect Against Shipwrecks.
• WWI And WWII Pilots: Both French And American Fighter Pilots Often Carried These Coins. During World War Il, Many Luftwaffe Pilots Even Sought Them Out, Believing The "Angel" Would Protect Them From Being Shot Down.
The Irony Of The Design
The Irony Of The "Lucky Angel" Moniker Is That The Design Was Intended To Be Purely Secular And Political. On The Coin, The Genius Is Shown Writing The Word "Constitution" (Or Loi-Law) On A Tablet.
• The Rooster: Represents Vigilance And The Gallic Heritage.
• The Fasces: Represents Strength Through Unity.
• The Genius: Represents The Spirit Of The Republic.
Despite Being A Tribute To The "Reign Of Law" And Human Reason, The Coin Is Now Cherished For The Very Thing The Revolutionaries Tried To Move Away From: Divine Intervention And Supernatural Luck.
| Additional Information | |
|---|---|
| COUNTRY | FRANCE |
| DENOMINATION | 100 FRANCS |
| EdgeItemKey | 001-080-00423 |
| GRADE | MS63 |
| Inventory Type | Stock |
| MINT MARK | A |
| stone info | [] |
| Vendor Style Code | 1886-A FRENCH 100F |
| YEAR | 1886 |
