Kaiser Wilhelm I
Minted 1871 - 1888
Fineness: .900
Actual Gold Content: .2304 troy oz
Allotment is Mixed Grade XF+
(most coins AU, some XF)

For the first time in over two years, we have secured a sufficient number of German Wilhelm I 20 mark gold coins to offer them as a Buyers' Group item. Minted from 1871-1888, these pieces are a natural accompaniment to the German Wilhelm II gold coins we offered in May.

We were able to secure only 400 coins for this offer and, if our previous offers are an indication, we do not expect them to last long. Due to their overall scarcity and much older mintage dates, Wilhelm I gold coins typically carry a $20-$30 premium over the Wilhelm II pieces (ref. Standard Catalog of World Gold Coins). Through a bulk purchase, we were able to reduce that market premium to $10, and are passing those savings on to our clientele.

As a companion piece to the Wilhelm I coins, we are also making the Napoleon III 20 Franc gold coins available to callers at discounted pricing in conjunction with this offer. Why? Wilhelm I and Napoleon III were opponents in the Franco-Prussian war, a conflict that proved to have considerable historical significance. Although the two men were adversaries on the battlefield, we feel the two coins can safely enjoy cordial relations stored together under your watchful stewardship.

Click the order link below or else call 1-800-869-5115 and speak to one of our representatives to secure your part in this attractive offer! Personal checks and wire transfers, as always, will be gladly accepted on all phone orders.

Historical synopsis: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig (1797-1888) ascended to the Prussian throne in 1861. Showing little political interest, his primary goal upon gaining power was to reorganize and strengthen the Prussian army. He was met with opposition from the Prussian legislature, and his desire to remain politically neutral led to his appointment of Otto von Bismark as his prime minister in 1862. Bismark proved to be far more historically significant than Wilhelm I, engaging Prussia in a number of conflicts aimed at attaining the goal of a unified German Empire. Perhaps the most notable of these conflicts was the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. Upon the defeat and surrender of Napoleon III at Sedan, Wilhelm I was proclaimed the first emperor of Germany (Kaiser) in 1871. These events, and the conflicts that ensued between Germany and France, eventually escalated into World War I.