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Saturday 18 February 2017

447) Statue of Liberty, Paris, France: “Treasures of Paris” Coin Series issued by Monnaie de Paris on 20.01.2017:



447) Statue of Liberty, Paris, France: “Treasures of Paris” Coin Series issued by "Monnaie de Paris" on 20.01.2017:


The "Monnaie de Paris" (The “Paris Mint”) has recently issued a new set of coins highlighting the many treasures of the French capital, Paris. This series started in 2016, and aims to present some of the nicest buildings and landmarks of the French capital, Paris.

During 2016, the Paris Mint had issued two coins commemorating the “Palais Garnier” and “Institut de France”.

The first coin issued in 2017 pays a special tribute to one of the most enduring symbols of both – the Friendship which exists between the two nations United States of America and France, as well as the sentiment behind its creation – Liberty. The second coin to be issued this year will be the “Genie de la Bastille” (to be released next spring).
 A Silver 500 Euro Coin shown against the backdrop of the French statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Detailed descriptions are given below in this post

The Statue of Liberty, Pont de Grenelle:

In 1886, France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States of America. In 1889, the American community in Paris gave a return gift of a smaller version of the same statue to Paris, France, which has been installed in the middle of the seine River, to the south of the Eiffel Tower. This gift was intended to commemorate the “Centennial of the French Revolution” and was installed on the “Fourth of July” (a date not associated with the French Revolution) rather than “Bastille Day” (which falls some ten days later & is nicknamed as the “French Fourth of July”).

The gift was given to highlight the historically close bond between France and the USA and to reaffirm the dedication of the two nations to the Republican ideal on which they were founded.

The quarter-scale replica stands on the southern end of Ile aux Cygnes, an artificial island built on the Seine in 1827 to separate river traffic from the busy port of Grenelle.

With the passage of time, a tree-lined walkway has come up that runs the full 850 metre length of the Island, and three bridges were built across the island to connect the 15th and 16th arrondissements.

   The Flame of Liberty in Paris, gifted by the International Herald Tribune. The “Flame” officially commemorates not only the paper’s 100th year of business, but is a token of thanks to France.
The Flame of Liberty: This is a life-size replica of the statue of liberty’s iconic fire and symbolises the “continuation of the handshake” between France and the United States of America.

Sculpted in 1986, the 12-foot metal fire is made of copper covered in actual gold leaf.

It was gifted to Paris by the International Herald Tribune and the “Flame” officially commemorates not only the paper’s 100th year of business, as well as a token of thanks to France itself for some restorative metalwork which France provided to the actual Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island in New York harbour.

Interestingly, Diana, Princess of Wales was tragically killed in 1 car accident in 1997 in the tunnel underneath the “Flame of Liberty” and many visitors, despite the explanatory plaque beneath it, erroneously believe that this Flame was built as a memorial to Diana.

The Eiffel Tower:

The Eiffel Tower is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champs de Mars in Paris, France, which is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose Company built it from 1887 – 1889. The tower was constructed as an entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair.

 The Eiffel Tower is 324 metres (or 1063 feet) tall (about the same height as an 81-storey building and is the tallest structure in Paris and the second tallest in France after the Millau Viaduct (a cable-stayed bridge that spans the valley of the river Tarn near Millau in Southern France and is the tallest bridge in the world).

The Eiffel Tower’s base is square, measuring 125 metres (or 410 feet) on each side. The Tower has three levels for visitors.

It is now become a global cultural icon of France and is one of the most recognisable and visited paid monuments in the world.
  The common Obverse of the three denominations - 10, 50 and 500 Euros Silver Coins
The Obverses of the three Silver Coins (10, 50 & 500 Euros) presents a view of the Statue of Liberty of Grenelle, the Flame of Liberty with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Both the monuments were constructed by Gustaf Eiffel.

The Flame of the Statue of Liberty is presented in the foreground and is visible with selectively plated gold on the silver coins highlighting the flame.

Around the upper left periphery of the coins is the inscription “CE NE SONT NI LES ARMEES NI LES TRESORS MAIS LES AMIS QUI SONT LES SOUTIENS D’UN ETAT” (meaning “Neither armies, nor treasure forms the walls of the kingdom if they are true friends” – a reference to the alliance which the two nations formed during the American Revolution and which has endured to the present day). On the upper right periphery of the coin is inscribed “STATUE DE LA LIBERTE DE PARIS” (meaning “The Statue of Liberty of Paris”).
 The Reverse of the three Silver Coins (10, 50 & 500 Euros) depicts a standard motif which is common to the coins issued under the series in 2016. It shows a modern representation of Paris and its 20 districts. On the upper left periphery is the inscription “TRESORS DE PARIS” (the title of the Series “Treasures of Paris”). On the lower right periphery is the year of issue “2017”, while the denomination of the coins is on the bottom periphery. The Monnaie de Paris Mint mark (A "Cornucopia" is a symbol of plenty, consisting of a goat’s horn overflowing with flowers, fruit and corn and sometimes spilling out coins – symbolising prosperity), is to the left of the denominational value.

The Specifications of the 10 Euros silver coins are:

Denomination: 10 Euros; Metallic Composition: .900 Silver; Weight: 22.2 grams; Diameter: 37.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof with selective gold plating; Mintage Limit: 3,000; Year of Minting: 2017.

                 The Specifications of the 50 Euro Silver Coins are:
Denomination: 50 Euros; Metallic Composition: .900 Silver; Weight: 163.8 grams; Diameter: 50.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof with selective gold plating; Mintage Limit: 1,000; Year of Minting: 2017.

  The Specifications of the 500 Euro Silver Coins are: (image shown above):
Denomination: 500 Euros; Metallic Composition: .900 Silver; Weight: 1000.0 grams or 1 kg.; Diameter: 100.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof with selective gold plating; Mintage Limit: 500; Year of Minting: 2017.

The common Obverse of the two denominations 200 & 500 Euros gold coins

The Obverse of the Gold Euro Coins (200 & 500 Euros) presents a view of the Statue of Liberty of Grenelle, the Flame of Liberty with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Both the monuments were constructed by Gustaf Eiffel.

The Flame of the Statue of Liberty is presented in the foreground and is visible with selectively plated gold on the silver coins highlighting the flame.

Around the upper left periphery of the coins is the inscription “CE NE SONT NI LES ARMEES NI LES TRESORS MAIS LES AMIS QUI SONT LES SOUTIENS D’UN ETAT” (meaning “Neither armies, nor treasure forms the walls of the kingdom if they are true friends” – a reference to the alliance which the two nations formed during the American Revolution and which has endured to the present day). On the upper right periphery of the coin is inscribed “STATUE DE LA LIBERTE DE PARIS” (meaning “The Statue of Liberty of Paris”)
               The Reverse of the 200 Euros Gold coin

The Reverse of the Gold Euro Coins depicts a standard motif which is common to the coins issued under the series in 2016. It shows a modern representation of Paris and its 20 districts. On the upper left periphery is the inscription “TRESORS DE PARIS” (the title of the Series “Treasures of Paris”). On the lower right periphery is the year of issue “2017”, while the denomination of the coins is on the bottom periphery. The Monnaie de Paris Mint mark (A "Cornucopia" is a symbol of plenty, consisting of a goat’s horn overflowing with flowers, fruit and corn and sometimes spilling out coins – symbolising prosperity) is to the left of the denominational value.

The Specifications of the 200 Euros Gold coins are:

Denomination: 200 Euros; Metallic Composition: .999 Gold; Weight: 31.1 grams; Diameter: 37.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage Limit: 250; Year of Minting: 2017.

                           The Reverse of the 500 Euros Gold coin
 The Specifications of the 500 Euros Gold coins are:

Denomination: 500 Euros; Metallic Composition: .999 Gold; Weight: 155.5 grams; Diameter: 50.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage Limit: 99; Year of Minting: 2017.





Links:

 1) Honouring Louis Braille on the Bicentenary of his birth in 2009

2) Honouring Charles Eduord Jeanneret popularly known as Le Corbusieur, the French architect who built the modern city of Chandigarh & several other projects: A 10 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank 

3) Fort St. George Museum, Chennai (Part iii): i) Indo-Danish coins ii) Indo-Dutch coins iii) Indo-French coins iv) Indo-Portuguese coins 

4) a) Central Bank of West African States issues: the "Franc African Financial Community" (FCFA) b) Bank of Central African States issues : the "Franc Financial Cooperation in Central Africa (FFCCA)

5) French Indo-China issues: A silver one Paistre coin issued in 1895 

6) Financial Institution for issuing uniform currency/coinage for French Overseas Territories in the Pacific & French Southern Territories of Antarctica: The Institut d'emission d'outre-Mer (IEOM) for French Polynesia (Tahiti), New caledonia, Wallis-et-Futuna and the erstwhile New Hebrides (present day Vanuatu)  

 7) Coinage of the French Polynesian Island of New Caledonia (or Nouvelle-Caledonie in French) - the CFP Franc

8) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's exile to St. Helena (Part I): A one Crown Commemorative Coin issued by the Ascension Island 

9) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's exile to St. Helena (Part II) : coins commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo: 1) A 5 GBP coin issued by the Royal Mint UK: 2) A "Drie Landen Zilverset" issued by the Royal Dutch Mint - which includes coins of Netherlands, Belgium and UK 

 10) Jeanne d'Arc or Joan of Arc or "The Maid of Orleans" or "La Pucelle": 200 & 50 Euro gold coins and 10 Euro Silver coins issued by Monnaie de Paris in July 2016

11) i)"Europa Coin Programme" or the Eurostar Programme ii) Monnaie de Paris has issued a series of six coins with the theme "The Age of Iron & Glass" in January 2017

12) 100th Anniversary of Auguste Rodin's passing away commemorated with gold and silver Euro coins issued by the Monnaie de Paris under its on-going "The 7 Arts" Coin Series

 13) Statue of Liberty, Paris, France: "Treasures of Paris": Coin series issued by Monnaie de Paris on 20.01.2017

14) Marianne (or Liberty): "The Trilogy": A set of Euro denominated coins in Gold and silver brought out by Monnaie de Paris in January 2017 




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