New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2015/C 215/04)

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 European Union providing for the issuance of euro coins are authorised to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, one of these being 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 : 225th anniversary of the Fête de la Fédération (Festival of the Federation)

Description of the design : The French national holiday brings the people of France together in celebration of the Republic. The design shows Marianne, the symbol of the Republic, depicted in profile in a graphic, contemporary style. She is wearing the Phrygian cap. On the right the tricolour cockade appears in outline above the letters RF. The year is written in the centre of the coin. The left side features a stanza from the poem ‘Liberté’ by the French poet Paul Eluard, an allusion to the motto of the French Republic. The mint marks appear alongside this extract.

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

Number of coins to be issued : 4 million

Date of issue : July 2015

(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).