New French €2 coin issued as euro marks its 20th birthday

A new €2 coin is to come into circulation in France from January 1 to celebrate 20 years of the common currency and the French presidency of the European Union council.

New 2 Euro coin especially updated for the French Presidency of the Council of the EU (FPCEU)

Will be on the market as of January 2022 pic.twitter.com/Wb2BIMhiIg

— Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (@RymMomtaz) December 9, 2021

The coin will be minted in, and unique to, France (other EU countries have their own two-euro coin designs) but it will still be valid currency across the entire Eurozone.

A total of 30 million of the new coins will enter circulation after being minted. This is the first time that a new two-euro coin design has entered circulation [in France] since the euro came into force on January 1, 2002.

Other two-euro coins have been issued, however these were commemorative coins and were not considered to be [actively participating] in circulation despite being used.

The new coin is still a two-colour piece, with copper and silver, but has a new design.

New design elements comprise: 

• The French motto, Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité 
• Leaves: Representing diversity and national unity
• Oak and olive branches: Symbols of the Republic. Oak - Sign of strength and solidity. Olive - Symbol of peace, reaching out towards the European stars around the edge of the coin, to symbolise peace and spreading these values across the EU
• Stars of the European Union around the edge
• Rising hexagons in the background: A symbol of the rise of France
• Trio of lines in the middle: Representing strength, historic and constitutional roots
• Year of minting (2022)
• A cornucopia of abundance: The stamp of the Paris Mint
• The stamp of the Chief Engraver at the Paris Mint, Joaquin Jimenez
• RF: Initials of the French Republic
• Signature of the designer

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