Switzerland 20 francs (Fakes are possible) 1897 to 1935

This is a beautiful gold coin, and it is valuable like all gold coins. Don't try to clean it or polish it. That always ruins value. Figuring the value of this coin is a little tricky. Look at our 5 steps below.

First, the only date in this series which commands strong collector value is the coin from 1926. This information comes from the coin catalogs. Only 50,000 gold 20 francs were issued in 1926, and that's not many. In comparison, there were more than 3,000,000 gold 20 francs minted in 1930. A 1926 Swiss 20 francs catalogs for $600 in fully uncirculated condition, $300 if circulated but well preserved.

Second, assuming you have a genuine coin and not a counterfeit, the primary source of value for this coin is its gold content. The catalogs also report that it contains 0.1867 troy ounces of gold. Therefore, the gold in this coin is worth 0.1867 times the price of one troy ounce of gold. The price of gold changes every day. Look it up on web sites such as kitco.com. The word 'troy' is understood when dealing with ounces of gold or silver. If gold is selling, say, for $1200 US dollars per troy ounce, the gold in this coin is worth 0.1867 x 1200 = $224. This is called the 'base value' or 'bullion value' (BV) of the coin.

Third, if the coin is fully uncirculated and protected as such in a holder, this adds some value, say $50, to the coin. If you have a coin that is not fully uncirculated, the added value would be $10 or so.

Fourth, if you might sell your coin to a dealer, he or she would probably (but not always) charge a fee of about $50 or more.

Fifth, if you might sell your coin to a collector, he or she would probably (but not always) be willing to pay BV plus a small premium depending on condition.

To keep things more confusing, consider the two pictures of Swiss 20 fancs shown to each side here. Do you see how one of them has oodles of eye appeal and the other is, well, lackluster? Guess which one has more value. Of course it is the one with better eye appeal. Collectors pay high premiums for coins with good eye appeal.

Further, you will be amazed, at the wide variation in coin pricing. You can find this coin on the Internet for sale at prices ranging from $300 to $1500 -- all the same coin and all in roughly the same condition. The advertisements for the $1500 coins have all sorts of hype, like 'extremely rare' and 'brilliant uncirculated.' Don't be fooled.
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