How to Identify the Chilean 20 Pesos Gold
The Chilean 20 pesos gold coin is the smallest widely-collected denomination in the country's 'Condor' design family, featuring the same shield and condor imagery in a compact, lightweight gold piece.
Read the full Chilean 20 Pesos Gold encyclopedia entry →
What the Coin Is
The 20 pesos gold coin rounds out Chile's early-to-mid 20th-century gold coinage series, providing a small-denomination gold piece that shares its design language with the larger 50 and 100 pesos issues from the same national program.
Obverse Design & Inscriptions
The obverse carries the Chilean coat of arms, with the shield supported by a huemul and a condor, the legend "REPUBLICA DE CHILE" arching around the rim, and the date placed below the arms.
Reverse Design & Inscriptions
The reverse features a condor with wings spread, perched on a rocky base, with the denomination "20 PESOS" inscribed around or beneath the bird, following the same design pattern as the larger denominations at a smaller scale.
Size, Weight, Metal, Edge
Struck in .900 fine gold, the 20 pesos coin weighs approximately 4.07 grams with a diameter around 19 mm, making it a compact and lightweight gold piece well suited for smaller transactions or gifting. The edge is reeded.
Mint Marks & Where to Find Them
As with the other denominations in this series, the Santiago mint produced these coins; look for small mint identifying features near the date or along the lower rim of the reverse design.
Telling It Apart from Similar Coins
Given its small size, this coin can be mistaken at a glance for other compact gold coins from the region; always confirm the denomination text "20 PESOS" and the specific huemul-and-condor coat of arms to positively identify it as Chilean.
Judging Condition at a Glance
Because of its small size, fine details such as the condor's feathers and the shield's engraving are more delicate and wear can appear more quickly relative to the coin's size. Check these areas closely under magnification, comparing sharpness of the feather lines and lettering to assess overall condition.
Authenticity Red Flags
Small gold coins like this are sometimes targeted by counterfeiters producing miniature cast copies; verify exact weight and diameter with precision tools, and examine the coin under magnification for soft, blurred details or an uneven, grainy surface that would suggest it wasn't struck from genuine dies.
Frequently asked questions
How does the 20 pesos compare to other Chilean gold coins?
It shares the same shield-and-condor design as the 50 and 100 pesos gold coins but is the smallest and lightest denomination in the series.
What is its exact weight and fineness?
It's struck in .900 fine gold, weighing about 4.07 grams with a diameter of roughly 19 mm.
Why is close inspection important for this coin?
Its small size means fine details wear or blur more noticeably, so magnification helps when assessing condition or checking for authenticity.
What mint produced this coin?
The Santiago mint struck the 20 pesos gold coin as part of Chile's broader gold coinage series.
What's the best way to confirm it's genuine?
Precisely measure the weight and diameter against published standards and examine the design under magnification for sharp, naturalistic detail rather than soft or blurred features.