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Monaco
The edge lettering on the Monoguese 2‐Euro‐commemorative coins is :
Image Country Date Feature Ref. Volume  
 
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Monaco 12 Jul. 2007 25th anniversary of the death of Princess Grace 20001
20002
20005
20,001  
 

 

Description : Similar to the 10‐franc gold coin of Monaco of 1982, the commemorative coin shows the design of Roger Bernard Baron (1907‐1994), the head of Princess Grace of Monaco facing to the left. Before her marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, she was known as the American film actress "Grace Kelly", and was then called Grace Patricia Grimaldi. On the right, from bottom to top, there is the issuing country "MONACO", a cornucopia as a sign of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac, the year of issue "2007" and a hunting horn with the sign of the zodiac Pisces, the symbol of the mint master Hubert Larivière. Inside next to the motif is the designer's "R.B.BARON" logo. Due to its small circulation and popularity the coin became the most expensive 2 Euro commemorative coin ever traded .
 
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Monaco 02 Jul. 2011 Wedding of Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock 20001
20002
20005
147,877  
 

 

Description : On the 1st of July 2011, Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock, a former South African swimmer, were married in a civil ceremony and one day later in church. Her new name is Charlène Grimaldi, Princess of Monaco. Robert Prat designed the coin. Below is the issuing country "MONACO" and the year of issue "2011", flanked on the left by a cornucopia as a symbol of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac and on the right by a pentagon as the mint master's mark Yves Sampos.
 
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Monaco 28 Jun. 2012 500th anniversary of the establishment of Monaco’s sovereignty by Lucien I Grimaldi 20001
20002
20005
110,000  
 

 

Description : In 1512, King Louis XII of France recognised Monegasque independence. The coin shows the portrait of Lucien I, Lord of Monaco (1481‐1523), who defended Monaco in 1507 against a superior Genoese force. The design of the coin, which is based on a painting attributed to Ambrogio de Predis in the early 16th century, is by Robert Prat. The lower left‐hand side shows "LUCIEN 1er", flanked in a circle by a lozenge borrowed from the coat of arms of Monaco, and the inscription "1512 SOUVERAINETÉ DE MONACO 2012" (Monaco's independence). On the left‐hand side is a cornucopia as a symbol of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac, and on the right‐hand side a pentagon as the mint master's mark Yves Sampos.
 
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Monaco 17 Jun. 2013 20th anniversary of its accession to the UN 20001
20002
20005
1,249,131  
 

 

Description : The commemorative coin commemorating the 20th anniversary of Monaco's accession to the United Nations shows a dove with an olive branch in its beak, hovering over the populated continents, depicted according to the United Nations flag. The design of the coin, from the Atelier de Gravures of the Monnaie de Paris, shows on the left the cornucopia as a sign of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac, and on the right a pentagon as the mint master's mark Yves Sampos. At the top there is a semi‐circle with the indication of the issuing country "MONACO" and at the bottom in the semi‐circle the words "1993 ♦ ADMISSION À L'ONU ♦ 2013" (admission to the UN). The coin has a much larger circulation than all previous commemorative coins of the Principality.
 
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Monaco 14 Nov. 2015 800th anniversary of the Contruction of the first Fortress on the rock 1215 20001
20002
20005
10,000  
 

 

Description : Today's Monaco was an ancient trading centre of the Phoenicians and later the Greeks, who had built a temple of Heracles here on the north coast of the western Mediterranean, which was soon given the nickname "Monoikos" (single house). When the place became a Roman port, it was given the name "Herculis Monoeci Portus", from which Monaco was shortened. In 1215, the Grimaldi family, who were part of the patriciate of the Republic of Genoa, established themselves here. The coin motif, designed by the Atelier de Gravues of the Monnaie de Paris, shows a tower on a rock by the sea. At the bottom, the occasion of issue is mentioned as "1215 ♦ FONDATION DE LA FORTERESSE ♦ 2015" (1215 ♦ FOUNDATION DE LA FORTERESSE ♦ 2015) and at the top "MONACO" as the issuing country, flanked on the left by a cornucopia as a symbol of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac and on the right by a pentagon as the mint master's mark Yves Sampos. ‐ This coin was minted in an exceptionally small edition of 10,000 copies using the proof production process.
 
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Monaco 01 Jun. 2016 150th anniversary of the founding of Monte-Carlo by Charles III. 20001
20002
20005
15,000  
 

 

Description : Charles III initiated the construction of the casino, which opened in 1863, on a rocky spur known as the "Plateau des Spélugues" (Grottoes' Plain), renamed the "Quartier de Monte Carlo" in 1866. The casino, which flourished after the construction of the adjacent "Hôtel de Paris" and the rail link to Nice, covered Monaco's national budget for several decades. Charles III is depicted after a painting by François‐Auguste Biards, now in the throne room of the Princely Palace in Monaco, in front of Monte Carlo, which at that time was almost exclusively built with the casino and the "Hôtel de Paris", and the horizon of the sea. The inscription "1866 ♦ CHARLES III FONDE MONTE CARLO ♦ 2016" (1866 ♦ Founder of Monte Carlo by Charles III ♦ 2016) runs along the lower edge of the pill. Above is the issuing state "MONACO", flanked by a cornucopia as a sign of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac and a pentagon as the mint master's mark Yves Sampos. The coin design originates from the Atelier de Gravures of the Monnaie de Paris.
 
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Monaco 13 Nov. 2017 200 years Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Carabiniers' of the Prince) 20001
20002
20005
15,000  
 

 

Description : Shown here are two members of the Princely Carabinier Company in front of the western façade and the main gate of the Princely Palace, designed by Marc‐Antoine Grigho around 1678 and surmounted by the coat of arms of Monaco. The Grimaldi family, originally a Genoese noble family, has resided here since 1297. On the right, a restored tower with swallow‐tail battlements, formerly part of the Genoese castle built in 1191. Above, the issuing state is named "MONACO", flanked on the left by a cornucopia as a sign of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac, and on the right by the mint master's mark Yves Sampos, a pentagon. At the bottom are the dates "1817‐2017". (each flanked by a diamond borrowed from the coat of arms of Monaco) and "CARABINIERS DU PRINCE" (Princely Carabiniers).
 
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Monaco 25 Jun. 2018 250th birthday of François Joseph Bosio 20001
20002
20005
16,000  
 

 

Description : The commemorative coin is dedicated to the 250th birthday of the Monegasque sculptor François Joseph Bosio (1768‐1845). It shows his portrait, made by Julien‐Léopold Boilly around 1820, but (as already on Monaco stamps of 1948 and 2018) mirror^dash;inverted. Next to it is the marble sculpture of Salmaki's flower‐wreathed nymph (naiad), created by him in 1826 and exhibited in the Louvre. At the top is the issuing state "MONACO", below "FRANÇOIS‐JOSEPH BOSIO" and a cornucopia as a sign of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac, "1768 ♦ SCULPTEUR ♦ 2018" (sculptor) and the mint master's mark Yves Sampos, a pentagon.
 
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Monaco 12 Sep. 2019 200th anniversary of Honoré V's accession to the throne 20001
20002
20005
15,000  
 

 

Description : As a result of the French Revolution of 1789, the Grimaldis lost all aristocratic privileges in France and their possessions there. Despite the Franco‐Monegasque Treaty of Péronne, Monaco, which was surrounded by France, demanded the deposition of the princes and the annexation to France, which had become a republic with the deposition of Louis XVI in 1792. Honoré III was imprisoned after the annexation decision in 1793 and died in a dungeon in Paris in 1795. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars the Congress of Vienna, thanks to Talleyrand's efforts, restored the state of Monaco, and the kingdom of Sardinia, which got back Savoy, Piedmont and Nice and additionally Genoa and ‐ with Turin as capital ‐ became the protecting power of Monaco. However, Honoré IV was too ill to take over the rule of his principality, so he appointed his brother, Prince Joseph, as regent - but his son Honoré Gabriel Grimaldi (1778‐1841) revolted against this, and in 1815 Prince Joseph appointed him regent Honoré IV. After his death he ascended the throne as Prince Honoré V. in 1819. The coin shows Honoré Gabriel Grimaldi after a painting by an unknown painter, made about 1800. On the right is "MONACO", on the left "HONORÉ V", below "1819 ♦ Avénement ♦ 2019" (1819 ♦ accession to the throne ♦ 2019). A cornucopia as a sign of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac is shown on the left, the mint master's mark Yves Sampos, a pentagon, on the right.
 
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Monaco 20 Oct. 2020 300th anniversary of the birth of Honoré III 20002
20003
20005
15,000  
 

 

Description : Honoré III (1720‐1795), son of Princess Louise‐Hippolyte, became prince of Monaco in 1732 at the age of 11. But he left the regency to his uncle Antoine Grimaldi. Only after his death he returned from Paris to Monaco 1784. Due to the French Revolution of 1789 the Grimaldis lost their privileges of nobility and their possessions in France. With the deposition of Louis XVI France became a republic in 1792 and annexed Monaco in 1793. Honoré III was arrested and died in a dungeon in Paris in 1795. The coin shows him according to a painting by Jean‐Baptiste van Loo (1684‐1745), which is presented in the throne room of the princely palace in Monaco. On the left is "HONORÉ III", on the right "MONACO", below "1720 ♦ Naissance ♦ 2020" (1720 ♦ birth ♦ 2020). A cornucopia as mint mark of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Pessac is shown on the left, a pentagon as the mint master's mark Yves Sampos on the right.
 
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Monaco 06 Oct. 2021 10th wedding anniversary of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and
Charlène, Princess of Monaco
20002
20003
20005
15,000  
 

 

Description : On the occasion of the wedding of the Monegasque princely couple, a commemorative coin was issued in 2011 showing Prince Albert II in profile on the back and Princess Charlène in profile on the front. For the 10th wedding anniversary, a coin was minted with updated portraits of the couple, whereby both heads are again shown in profile, but the visible part of the upper body of the Princess is in three‐quarter profile ‐ as if she were turning her right shoulder towards the Prince. At the top, "♦ MONACO ♦" designates the issuing country, each flanked by a diamond borrowed from the coat of arms of Monaco. At the bottom the occasion of issue "MARIAGE PRINCIER" (Royal Marriage) is indicated, flanked on the left by the wedding year "2011" and subsequently by a cornucopia as mint mark of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Pessac, on the right by the square mintmaster's logo of the French chief engraver Joaquin Jimenez and the year of issue "2021".
 
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Monaco 07 Sep. 2022 100th anniversary of the death of Prince Albert I 20003
20005
15,000  
 

 



Work in progress
 
 
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Monaco 31 May 2023 The centenary of the birth of Prince Rainier III 20003
20005
20009
25,000  
 

 

Description : Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Rainier Grimaldi (1923‐2005) succeeded his grandfather Louis II as Rainier III in the reign of the principality after his mother Charlotte abdicated the throne in 1949. His full title was: Prince de Monaco, Duc de Valentinois, Marquis des Baux, Comte de Carladès, Baron du Buis, Seigneur de Saint‐Remy, Sire de Matignon, Comte de Torigni, Baron de Saint‐Lô, de la Luthumière et de Hambye, Duc d'Estouteville, de Mazarin et de Mayenne, Prince de Château‐Porcien, Comte de Ferrette, de Belfort, de Thann et de Rosemont, Baron d'Altkirch et Seigneur d'Issenheim, Marquis de Chilly, Comte de Longjumeau, Baron de Massy, Marquis de Guiscard. Educated in English and Swiss boarding schools, he had studied at the École libre des sciences politiques (Free School of Political Sciences) in Paris, called 'Sciences Po'. In 1956, he married the US film actress and Oscar winner Grace Kelly, who thus became Princess Grace of Monaco. The marriage produced three children: Caroline, Albert and Stéphanie of Monaco. In 1982, the Princess, also known as 'Gracia Patricia', died in a car accident. Under the reign of Rainier III, the Principality developed into the centre of international high society; tourism, congresses and industrialisation boomed and new land was gained on the coast. Below the portrait of the Prince, his name and date of birth are inscribed in a circular arc with "♦ RAINIER III 31 MAI 1923 ♦" (23rd of May 1923). At the top, the country of issue and the year of issue are shown in a circular arc with "MONACO 2023", flanked on the left by a cornucopia as the mint mark of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Pessac and on the right by the square mintmaster's mark of the French chief engraver Joaquin Jimenez.
 
References :
20001 Images taken with authorisation by the ECB ‐ Mail dated 20.Feb.2020
© "European Central Bank"
20002 Data mirrored from Wikipedia Page "2_euro_commemorative_coins"
with friendly support of the guardians of that page.
20003 Images taken with authorisation by H....... Hamburg   20004 Coloured version of this Commemorative Coin in circulation
EU‐legal‐technical specifications do not recongnise colour prints. The EU nevertheless tolerates them, as their numbers are very small and they are sold in special packs and therefor are very unlikely to be used as currency.
20005 enlarged Images taken with authorisation by Gerd Seyffert
© "Gerd Seyffert 2021"
20006 Not Applicable  
20009 Text with kind permission by Gerd Seyffert
© "Gerd Seyffert 2023"
20010 Not Applicable