New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

2013/C 18/05

National side of the new commemorative 2-euro coin intended for circulation and issued by France

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For the purpose of informing the public and all parties who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 10 February 2009 (2), euro area Member States and countries that have concluded a monetary agreement with the Community providing for the issuing of euro coins are allowed to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, particularly that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the same technical characteristics as other 2-euro coins, but their national face features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country: France

Subject of commemoration: 50th anniversary of the signing of the Élysée Treaty

Description of the design: The coin, which was designed by Yves Sampo of the Monnaie de Paris, Stefanie Lindner of the Berlin State Mint, Alina Hoyer (Berlin) and Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (Berlin), depicts stylised portraits of the Élysée Treaty’s signatories (the then-Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Konrad Adenauer and the former President of the French Republic Charles de Gaulle), their signatures and the words ‘50 ANS JAHRE’ with the year ‘2013’ in the centre, the words ‘TRAITÉ DE L’ÉLYSÉE’ at the top and the words ‘ÉLYSÉE-VERTRAG’ at the bottom. The right side of the inner part features the mint mark as well as the issuing country’s code ‘RF’ and the left side features the ‘fleurette’, hallmark of the engraving workshop.

The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Number of coins to be issued: 10 million

Date of issue: January 2013

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national faces of all the coins issued in 2002.

(2)  See the conclusions of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 10 February 2009 and the Commission Recommendation of 19 December 2008 on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation (OJ L 9, 14.1.2009, p. 52).