Commemorative 20 Francs 1938
France
1938
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$899.82
Based on Gold spot price ($4,821.285/oz) · 90.0% purity · 6.45g
Updated 2:32 AM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | France |
| Years Minted | 1938 |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Weight | 6.45 g |
| Diameter | 21 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
Features the head of Marianne facing left.
Reverse
Depicts a view of the Colonial Exhibition grounds.
History & Notable Facts
This 1938 French 20 Francs coin was struck in gold to commemorate the Paris International Exhibition, which prominently featured colonial pavilions amid rising global tensions.
That exhibition, held in a year when Europe teetered on the brink of war, showcased France's empire with displays of African and Asian artifacts. The coin's design, by engraver Lucien Bazor, includes a reverse depicting the Eiffel Tower flanked by exhibition halls, a nod to the event's grandeur. It's 21 mm in diameter, weighing 6.45 grams of .900 fine gold.
Mintage figures are murky; records from that era were often incomplete due to administrative chaos. What I can say is that these coins circulated briefly before being hoarded as the franc devalued.
Producing gold coins for a colonial fair while colonies pushed for independence—ironically timely.
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