New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

2010/C 137/10

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), the Member States of the euro area 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 side features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country: France

Subject of commemoration: The Call made by General de Gaulle on 18 June 1940 from London, via the BBC, which was a genuine founding act of the Resistance.

Description of the design: The inner part of the coin shows General de Gaulle, in uniform, bareheaded, at a microphone typical of the time, reading the Call, in which the name of the country ‘RF’ is cleverly inserted. At the top is the year of issue ‘2010’, and below it ‘70 ANS’ (70 YEARS) and ‘APPEL 18 JUIN’ (CALL 18 JUNE).

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

Number of coins to be issued: 20 million

Date of issue: June 2010

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1, for the national sides 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).