Real coins·12 May 2026·4 min read
The gold Napoleon — the trusted coin of the French
The 20-franc coin bearing Napoleon was, for a century, the symbol of safe savings in France.
The "Napoleon" — the 20-franc gold coin — was the savings money of the ordinary French person. Many kept it hidden "under the mattress" as a safe reserve, across generations.
Gold as insurance
In times of war and inflation, those who held gold Napoleons were protected: gold kept its value when paper money collapsed. That's why gold remains a "safe haven" even today.
