Tunisia 1892-A 20 francs
Tunisia, nominally subject to the Ottoman empire since the sixteenth century, survived on piracy. This eventually became unacceptable to the seafaring powers, who quashed the pirates in the 1820's. The ruling beys, deprived of revenue, attempted to reform the state but only succeeded in incurring a large foreign debt. Bankruptcy was declared in 1869 and was used in 1881 as the pretext for French occupation. This type was struck 1891-1902 by the French in the name of Ali Bey, nominal ruler of Tunisia. Gold twenty francs were struck to the standard of the Franc Germinal until 1928, long after metropolitan France had abandoned it. The 1892-A is the most common date.
Recorded mintage: 937,000.
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, .186 troy oz ASW, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: KM 227.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
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