French Gold Rooster Coins (20 Francs): History, Value & Collecting

Totally agree with the sentiment here. I picked up a few of these back in '08 when things were looking dicey with the market – more for the history and aesthetic initially than pure investment. But looking at the appreciation, especially in a diverse portfolio, they've clearly pulled their weight. It's funny how those smaller, numismatic pieces can sometimes outperform the generic bullion.

Some of the older folks in my family, particularly my grandmother who lived through the Depression, swore by these 20 Franc Roosters. She had a few tucked away. Always said they were "real money" when the paper stuff went south. They've held up well, though I personally lean towards bullion for the pure metal play now.

Spot on with the French Roosters! I picked up a few of these back in 2018 when I first really started building out my precious metals portfolio beyond just standard bullion. They're not the *most* efficient way to get your gold weight, but the historical aspect and the design are just really appealing. Definitely adds a nice touch of diversity to the vault beyond just Eagles and Maples.

Always been fascinated by those Napoleonic-era coins. I remember seeing a few at a dealer in Louisville years ago, but they just felt like more of a collector's item than something for a serious Gold IRA. Glad I held off, honestly. My main focus has shifted to the more straightforward bullion these days, especially after running the numbers. The Tax Calculator here on GIRAB, linked right from https://tax.goldirablueprint.com/?forum, actually showed me exactly how much I could save on taxes with physical gold, which was a huge eye-opener for diversifying my retirement fund.

Always appreciated the Rooster, but for my IRA, it's just too volatile for the premium it commands. I learned early on with some other fractional pieces that the smaller stuff, while beautiful, just eats into your returns with higher percentage premiums on both ends. Stick to the bigger OPM (Other People's Money) stuff for your retirement accounts, let the collectors chase the numismatics with their expendable cash.

Interesting deep dive on the Roosters. I picked up a few of these last year when spot was a bit lower – mainly for the historical appeal and divisibility. For anyone looking into the numismatic side of things with older coins like these, and wondering about grading or authentication, I found the section on 'Evaluating Collectible Gold Coins' in the Learning Center here at GIRAB to be genuinely helpful. It breaks down what to look for beyond just the melt value.

I've been eyeing these French Roosters for a while to add some international flavor to my sub-$50k Gold IRA, mostly held in Eagles through Augusta Precious Metals. The premiums on them, even for smaller quantities, seem to trend a bit higher than what you'd typically see on a 1/10th or 1/4 oz American Gold Eagle. I'm based in Columbus, OH, and it's tough to find a local dealer who stocks them without a significant markup on top of what I see online. Are they worth the extra premium compared to standard bullion for long-term hold? The historical aspect is cool, but I'm primarily focused on asset protection and growth.

Honestly, the historical allure of things like the French Rooster is undeniable, and I appreciate the numismatic value folks see. But as someone who primarily views physical gold as an insurance policy and inflation hedge in my IRA, I can't justify the premiums on these collectible coins. My gold is strictly for weight and purity, not for some hypothetical resale to a coin collector in 20 years. I'd rather buy 1 oz Krugerrands or even bars and keep the difference.

While I appreciate the historical value and aesthetic appeal of the French Gold Rooster, I've personally never found them to be a compelling addition to a significant gold IRA. My focus has always been on maximizing the pure gold content and minimizing premiums for larger allocations. For instance, I'm sitting on a decent stack of 10oz PAMP Fortuna bars from a few years back that I picked up for <1% over spot – that's a far more efficient way to hold significant wealth than fractional pieces, no matter how charming their history.

Honestly, 20 Franc Roosters are cool for numismatists and history buffs, but for a pure Gold IRA play? I've always leaned heavily into modern bullion coins – Eagles, Maples, even Britannias. The premiums on these smaller, older foreign coins just eat too much into your actual gold exposure, especially when you're looking at significant capital preservation. Sometimes, less "history" means more metal for your buck.

This thread hit different because I actually inherited a small pile of these French Roosters from my grandfather. He wasn't a big investor, just a regular guy who lived through some wild times – two world wars, the Great Depression, you name it. He always said, "Son, paper promises can blow away, but a bit of gold in your hand, that's real." I remember him showing me these coins when I was a kid in Lexington, the rooster on one side, Marianne on the other, always felt like holding a piece of history. Fast forward to a few years ago when I started seriously diversifying my own IRA beyond just stocks and bonds. I had about a quarter-mil spread across various assets, and those words from my grandad kept echoing. That's when I started looking into a Gold IRA. I found out these 20 Francs, while beautiful, aren't typically IRA-eligible due to purity requirements. It was a slight disappointment because I wanted to integrate that family heirloom aspect into my official holdings. But it still validated his wisdom. I ended up keeping the original coins separate, as a tangible connection to him, and then professionally sourced some IRA-eligible gold, mostly American Gold

@Frank Rivera – I hear you on the historical appeal of these Rooster coins, and '08 was definitely a wake-up call for many of us. I actually got into IRAs around that time too, after seeing my paper assets take a hit. While I appreciate the sentimentality of the Roosters, for a significant portion of my actual *investment* portfolio, I prioritize pure bullion – specifically 1oz American Gold Eagles or Canadian Maple Leafs due to their liquidity and easier pricing relative to their melt value. Less spread, less fuss. I used the Gold IRA Quiz here on GIRAB, and it actually matched me with a strategy heavily focused on these more straightforward bullion coins for the core of my hold, rather than numismatic pieces. Definitely worth taking if you haven't!