French Euro Coins
France was one of the founding members of the Euro zone and started issuing coins in 2002. French Euro Coins - particularly the Commemoratives - provide a wealth of information regarding French history and famous Frenchmen, past and present.
Some basic facts relating to France.
Normal Currency Coins.
Three motifs are used for French Euro Coins - one for the "copper coloured coins"(1 cent, 2 cent and 5 cent), one for the "gold coloured coins" (10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent) and finally one for the one Euro and two Euro coins.
The first motif (1,2 and 5 cent coins) is a young Marianne with a determined look who symbolizes a strong lasting Europe.
The second motif (10,20 and 50 cent coins) shows a sower before the rising sun - she gives a sense of continuity, having been long associated with the old French Franc and appearing on previous French coins and stamps.
The third motif (1 and 2 Euro coins) is a stylized tree appearing in a hexagon and represents life and growth. The words "Liberté,Egalité,Fraternité"(Liberty,Equality,Fraternity) - the motto of the French Republic since the revolution also appear.
1 cent - Marianne symbolizing a strong lasting Europe.
2 cent - Marianne symbolizing a strong lasting Europe.
5 cent - Marianne symbolizing a strong lasting Europe.
10 cent - Sower before the rising sun.
20 cent - Sower before the rising sun.
50 cent - Sower before the rising sun.
1 Euro - A stylized tree representing life and growth.
2 Euro - A stylized tree representing life and growth.
Two Euro Coin Rim
Around the rim of the Two Euro Coin appear the number "2" followed by "**".
This
is repeated six times so that the "12-Star" European motif is represented.
Each "2" is inverted with respect to the preceding and following "2".
French Commemorative Two Euro Coins.
France delayed for quite a while before issuing commemorative coins but has made up for the delay by issuing since 2010 the maximum permissable, so that now April 2020 we have 23 French Commemoratives with another due later this year - thank you France!
2008 - French presidency of the European Union for 2008.
Date of issue :01.07.2008
Issuing Volume : 20,1 Million
2010 - 70th anniversary of de Gaulle's appeal to the French to continue the struggle against the Nazis.
Date of issue :June 2010
Issuing Volume : 20 Million
2011 - 30th anniversary of the "Fête de la Musique"-Every summer solstice since 1981 France has celebrated a "Day of Music".
Date of issue :21.06.2011
Issuing Volume : 10 Million
2012 - 100th birthday of Abbé Pierre - a popular catholic priest who founded the charity organization Emmaus.
Date of issue :July 2012
Issuing Volume : 1 Million
2013 - Joint issue with Germany, commemorating the Treaty of Élysée.
Date of issue :January 2013
Issuing Volume : 10 Million
2013 - 150th birthday of Pierre de Coubertin.
Date of issue :03.06.2013
Issuing Volume : 1,020,000
2014 - 70th Anniversary of the Allied Landings in Normandy.
Date of issue :11.06.2014
Issuing Volume : 3,020,000
2014 - World Aids Day.
Date of issue :24.11.2014
Issuing Volume : 3,020,000
2015 - 70 Years of Peace in Europe.
Date of issue :02.02.2015
Issuing Volume : 4,000,000
2015 - 225th Anniversary of the Founding of the Republic.
Date of issue :10.07.2015
Issuing Volume : 4,000,000
2016 - French hosting of the European football championship.
Date of issue :05.02.2016
Issuing Volume : 10,000,000
2016 - 100 th Anniversary of the birth of Francois Mitterrand.
Date of issue :12.09.2016
Issuing Volume : 10,000,000
2017 - 100th Anniversary of the death of Auguste Rodin.
Date of issue : 03.02.2017
Issuing Volume : 10,020,500
2017 - 25 years of Brest Cancer Awareness.
Date of issue :25.09.2017
Issuing Volume : 10,020,000
2018 - Corn Flower.
Date of issue :19.02.2018
Issuing Volume : 15,000,000
2018 - In honour of Simone Veil - a leading figure in the women's rights movement in France.
Date of issue :26.06.2018
Issuing Volume : 15,020,500
2019 - 60th Anniversary of the creation comic chatacter Asterix.
Date of issue :06.06.2019
Issuing Volume : 310,000
2019 - This coin commemorates 30 years since the opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Date of issue : 10.10.2019
Issuing Volume : 15 Million
2020 - This coin commemorates Charles de Gaulle.
Date of issue : 31.01.2020
Issuing Volume : 18,061,940
2020 - This coin is devoted to Medical Research.
Date of issue : 27.10.2020
Issuing Volume : 310,000
2021 - 75th Anniversary of the founding of UNICEF
Date of issue : 18.03.2021
Issuing Volume : 7,500,000
2021 - 1st coin in a series of four to celebrate the planed hosting of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Date of issue : 21.09.2021
Issuing Volume : 510,000
2022 - 90th Anniversary of Jacque Chirac's birth.
Date of issue : 25.01.2022
Issuing Volume : 9,000,000
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