French coins from the 1950s until the introduction of the euro

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The reverse design of the 20 francs coin.

It followed the style of the earlier 10 francs coin.

It was clearly a companion piece to the 10 francs.

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It is interesting to note that the 10 and 20 francs coins depicted real architecture and sculpture, in a relatively realistic way. This was different from the previous symbolic, allegorical and rather old-fashioned designs, attractive as they were. One could imagine the coinage continuing to develop in this way, if the euro had never happened. The current coin series of nearby Jersey is an excellent example of a well designed architecturally-themed set. Perhaps a non-euro French set might have developed along similar lines.

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See:  Pre-euro to euro design continuity.

On 1 January 2002, France switched over to the euro. The French franc was dead.

The French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean was first in the eurozone to use the new euro coins and banknotes.


With the euro, the French reverted to the old habit of having one design per coin tier.

These designs included the sower and a new version of Marianne, so some sense of tradition was preserved.

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Comments on "French coins from the 1950s until the introduction of the euro"

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Western Europe: Some pre-euro coinages issued after 1945.

01] Austria: pre-euro coinage from 1946 to 2001.

02] Belgian franc: from 1948 until the euro.

03] Coinage of Switzerland.

04] Cyprus: final coinage under British rule.

05] Finland: Wildlife series of the 1990s.

06] French coins from the 1950s until the introduction of the euro.

07] German coinage of the Allied occupation, 1945 to 1948.

08] Greece 1973: the fascinating story behind Series A and B.

09] Icelandic marine series, 1981 to date.

10] Italy's final pre-euro coinage.

11] Luxembourg's coinage after World War 2 but before the euro.

12] Malta's pre-euro coinage, 1972-2007.

13] Milestones in the coinage of the Netherlands.

14] Milestones in the decimal coinage of Gibraltar.

15] Milestones in the decimal coinage of Guernsey.

16] Milestones in the decimal coinage of Ireland.

17] Milestones in the decimal coinage of Jersey.

18] Milestones in the decimal coinage of the Isle of Man.

19] Milestones in the decimal coinage of the UK.

20] Norwegian wildlife series, 1958 to 1973.

21] Portugal's final pre-euro coin series.

22] Pre-euro Coinage of the Federal Republic of Germany.

23] Pre-euro coinage of the Republic of Greece, 1976 to 2001.

24] Republic of Cyprus: pre-euro coinage.

25] Spain: pre-euro coinage of King Juan Carlos I.