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.

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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