France
Each French coin denomination features a different design. There is one series of coins in circulation for the 1, 2 and 5 cent coins and two series for the €1, €2 and 10, 20, and 50 cent coins. All are valid as legal tender.
€2
The design chosen for the first series of €1 and €2 coins was the work of the artist Joaquin Jimenez. It features a tree symbolising life, continuity and growth, standing within a hexagon and encircled by the motto of the French Republic, "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" (Liberty, equality, fraternity).
In 2022 France introduced a second series of €1 and €2 coins. The new design features oak and olive branches that form the tree of life and symbolise strength, solidity and peace. The tree and the motto stand within a hexagon.
Edge lettering of the €2 coin: 2**, repeated six times, alternately upright and inverted.
€1
The design chosen for the first series of €1 and €2 coins was the work of the artist Joaquin Jimenez. It features a tree symbolising life, continuity and growth, standing within a hexagon and encircled by the motto of the French Republic, "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" (Liberty, equality, fraternity).
In 2022 France introduced a second series of €1 and €2 coins. The new design features oak and olive branches that form the tree of life and symbolise strength, solidity and peace. The tree and the motto stand within a hexagon.
50 cent
The first series of the 10, 20 and 50 cent coins was designed by Laurent Jorlo. It depicts the sower, a figure commonly featured on the French franc. This modern and timeless image embodies a France which stays true to itself, while integrating into Europe.
In 2024 France introduced a new 50 cent coin series. Designed by Joaquin Jimenez, the coin features a portrait of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie, known for her pioneering work on radioactivity. The portrait is set within a French flag motif, symbolising Curie's iconic place in the French Republic, represented by the letters RF.
20 cent
The first series of the 10, 20 and 50 cent coins was designed by Laurent Jorlo. It depicts the sower, a figure commonly featured on the French franc. This modern and timeless image embodies France, which stays true to itself, while integrating into Europe.
In 2024 France introduced a second series of 20 cent coins. Designed by Joaquin Jimenez, the coin features a portrait of Josephine Baker, a singer, dancer and civil rights activist. She was awarded the Resistance Medal, the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour for her efforts during World War II. The portrait is set within a French flag motif, symbolising Baker's iconic place in the French Republic, represented by the letters RF.
10 cent
The first series of the 10, 20 and 50 cent coins was designed by Laurent Jorlo. It depicts the sower, a figure commonly featured on the French franc. This modern and timeless image embodies a France which stays true to itself, while integrating into Europe.
In 2024 France introduced a new 10 cent coin designed by Joaquin Jimenez. The new coin depicts Simone Veil, a Holocaust survivor and the first President of the directly elected European Parliament. She spent much of her life fighting for women's rights and pushed through the 1975 law decriminalising abortion in France.
5 cent
1, 2 and 5-cent coins: these depict a young, feminine Marianne with determined features that embody the desire for a sound and lasting Europe. The design was the work of Fabienne Courtiade, an engraver from the Paris Mint.
2 cent
1, 2 and 5-cent coins: these depict a young, feminine Marianne with determined features that embody the desire for a sound and lasting Europe. The design was the work of Fabienne Courtiade, an engraver from the Paris Mint.
1 cent
1, 2 and 5-cent coins: these depict a young, feminine Marianne with determined features that embody the desire for a sound and lasting Europe. The design was the work of Fabienne Courtiade, an engraver from the Paris Mint.