Posted on June 29, 2018
It’s difficult for the human mind to accurate grasp the concept of time. When you think of the age of the United States and its currency, which date to 1776 and 1792 respectively, that seems worlds away from your own lifespan. When it comes to gold coins and currency issued by European nations, now you’re talking about hundreds of years of history. While historic US gold and silver coins are popular among investors, there are European Gold Coins available as well with a history as rich and diverse as any American coin.
JM Bullion’s collection of European Gold Coins has been increasing of late, and whether you’re simply looking for affordable options when buying gold or want to add some of the flair of European coinage to your collection, we’ve got you covered! Read on to learn a little more about some of the new (old) European Gold Coins in our catalog.
The British Gold Sovereign is arguably the most well-known European Gold Coin among American buyers. The use of the term “sovereign” is relatively unique to British Gold Coins. Though countless countries, kingdoms, and empires from the European continent issued gold coins at some point in their history featuring images of the ruling, sovereign monarch, few of those nations actually referred to the coinage as “sovereigns.” Most nations referred to the coins by the denomination, such as German Marks, French/Swiss Francs, and Dutch Guilders.
British Gold Sovereign coins were initially introduced in 1489 by King Henry VII. At the time, there was a large influx of gold coming into Europe from West Africa and the Royal Mint began issuing large gold coins with the effigy of the sovereign ruler on the obverse. Sovereign coining continued through the rule of King James I. Production of original sovereigns halted in 1604 under James I and would not resume until 1817 following the Great Recoinage of 1816.
Today, gold sovereign coins continue in production at the Royal Mint as bullion investment coins no longer intended for commercial use. Examples of British Gold Sovereign designs available from JM Bullion include:
All British Gold Sovereigns feature the reigning monarch of the era matching the date mark on the obverse. Designers of these images have changed with time, but since 1817 the design on the reverse has remained largely the same. With the noted exception of some Queen Victoria I coins, all British Gold Sovereigns have Benedetto Pistrucci’s design of St. George on horseback battling the dragon on the reverse.
Britain’s gold sovereign coins are popular, but they are far from the only example of European Gold Coinage you’ll find the catalog at JM Bullion.
The French Franc was a massively popular format for the production of European Gold Coins in the 19th century. First introduced during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Franc would eventually serve as the basis for a continent-wide denomination under the Latin Monetary Union. The weight, size, and metal content of the French Franc was used as the basis for issuing gold coins with denominations in Francs across nations that included Switzerland, Belgium, France, and even Spain.
Gold Francs were issued in denominations ranging from 1, 5, and 10 Francs up to 20 and 40 Francs. Without question, the most widely copied and used denomination was the 20 Franc coin. The following are a few examples of 20 Francs coins from various French governments and other nations in Europe:
These are but a few of the popular European Gold Coins you’ll find for sale in the JM Bullion catalog. These coins are all former circulation pieces in many cases, with a few of the gold coins representing restrikes of original circulation coins that are meant for investment and collectible purposes. All of the European Gold Coins in our catalog have impressive gold content and make the ideal addition to a portfolio or personal collection.
Our customer service team is always here to assist you with any questions. If you have a question as you look to buy gold from our European Gold Coin selection, don’t hesitate to call us at 800-276-6508. You can also connect with us online through our live chat and email address, and as always you can follow us on Facebook to learn more about exciting releases or to participate in our social media contests.