The French 20 Francs gold coin featuring King Louis XVIII from the years 1814 to 1815 represents a period of significant transition in French history, as it marks the initial restoration of the Bourbon monarchy following the abdication of Napoleon I. The obverse of the coin features a profile portrait of Louis XVIII, often in regal attire, symbolizing the re-establishment of the old order and a return to monarchical rule after the tumultuous era of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. The gold purity of this coin is 90% (21.6 karats), and it contains an actual gold weight of 0.1867 troy ounces (5.805 grams). On the reverse, the design typically includes the royal coat of arms, which represents the sovereignty and the historical continuity of the Bourbon dynasty. These coins are significant for their embodiment of the brief and tentative nature of this first restoration, which lasted until Napoleon's return during the Hundred Days before his final defeat at Waterloo. Collectors and historians alike value the 20 Francs Louis XVIII gold coin for its representation of a fleeting moment of Bourbon rule in 19th-century France.
