03 October 2023
|
Announced earlier this year, the Paris Mint has now released the first coins in its Ors de France series. Since 2008, the Paris Mint has been honouring the symbols of French numismatics by revisiting them through a three-year issuing programme of contemporary numismatics.
After the previous issues for the Sower, Hercules, the Rooster and Marianne, the Paris Mint is now providing a reinterpretation of the Napoleonic franc engraved by Jean-Jacques Barre and available from 1803 until 1948.
FREE COIN NEWSLETTER
Sign up to the free Al About Coins newsletter for the latest coin news, offers, and competitions. Sign up today!
The new coin presents on its obverse a laureated portrait of Emperor Napoleon III, with his profile strongly inspired by that of his uncle Napoleon I, who had constructed his image by drawing inspiration from the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. To the right of his profile, there is the Napoleonic coat of arms that was originally present on the reverse of imperial coins.
The reverse of these new coins highlights the three eras to which the three inspirations of this trilogy belong. Fitting into a hexagon, these three images interpret the French flag in a heraldic form.
The new coin will be available in seven different versions – €20 and €100 silver coins, and €250, €1000, €2500, €5000 and €10,000 gold coins. The silver coin has been produced in a mintage of 75,000, while the €5000 coin has a mintage of 1200.
Further issues in the Ors de France series will be released in 2024 and 2025.
