The 2021 St. Helena 1 oz Napoleon Angel silver bullion coin, produced by the East India Company, is officially recognized as legal tender by the government of St. Helena, with a face value of £1.
Created to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Napoleon’s death, this coin honors both his time in exile on St. Helena and the angels that stand watch over his final resting place in Paris.
Napoleon Bonaparte once ruled an empire that stretched across Europe, but after his defeat at Waterloo in 1815, he was exiled to St. Helena. He lived out his final years at Longwood House, passing away in 1821. Laid to rest beneath a simple gravestone under a willow tree, he had wished to be buried in Paris—a request that was finally granted in 1840.
Today, Napoleon’s tomb lies beneath the golden dome of Les Invalides, guarded by twelve towering stone angels, eternal sentinels over the Emperor’s legacy.
For anyone who shares my passion for historical coins, this is one piece that truly stands apart. The original run of this coin was limited to 1821 minted. My coin, unfortunately, is not part of that original mintage (and I can’t imagine how much those are going for!)
I acquired this coin a few months ago and added it to my growing collection of Napoleon memorabilia.
The Story
In 1792, Augustine Dupre designed a French coin featuring an angel on a pedestal—an image that would become legendary. Despite the coin’s success, Dupre found himself accused of revolutionary sympathies and was sentenced to the guillotine. In a dramatic twist, he allegedly escaped execution by bribing his guards with one of his own Angel coins.
The Angel soon gained a reputation as a lucky charm, and even Napoleon himself is said to have carried one throughout his reign—only to lose it just before his final defeat at Waterloo.
Exiled to St. Helena, Napoleon died in 1821, and his remains lay there until 1840, when they were finally returned to France. Today, his tomb in Les Invalides is watched over by angels sculpted by Jean Jacques Pradier—a silent, eternal tribute to the Emperor’s legacy.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about this great piece of history as much as I have enjoyed sharing it! As always, thanks for reading!
Want more Napoleon history? Check out my Napoleon 5 Franc from 1812!
Raw data: Year: 2021, Condition: Brilliant Uncirculated, Weight: 1 ozt, Minted by: East India Company, Mintage: N/A, Face Value: £1, Purity: .999. 2021 St. Helena 1 oz Napoleon Angel Silver Coin
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