France. Founding Father of the United States Features on Exquisite Gold and Silver Proof Coins

Starting in 2020, the Monnaie de Paris launched a new collector coin series retracing the history of American Independence and the close connection between the two countries. In the year leading up to the United States 250th anniversary, a new range of gold and silver proof quality collector coins remembers one of America's founding fathers, George Washington (1732 – 1799). He played a crucial role as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the War of Independence between 1775 and 1783 and helped lay the foundations of the young American republic.

The Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783 resulting in Great Britain officially recognising the United States as an independent nation, and ending the American Revolutionary War. In 1789, the establishment of the U.S. government under the Constitution of 1781 came into effect and George Washington was unanimously elected the first U.S. president by the Electoral College in 1788. His inauguration took place on the 30^th April 1789 and he was elected a second time in 1792. He implemented a strong, well-financed national government while remaining impartial in the fierce rivalry that emerged within his cabinet. 

During the French Revolution which saw the collapse of the ‘Ancien Regime’ and the crown of King Louis XVI, he proclaimed a policy of neutrality. The 1794 Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain setting out parameters of peaceful trade between Americans and the British in the midst of the French Revolutionary War had his full support and lasted for more than ten years. During his eight years as president, Washington set enduring precedents for the executive office, including republicanism and favoured abolishing titles of nobility within the social classes. Washington also set in place the practise of a peaceful transfer of power, in which the leadership of a government peacefully hands over control of government to a newly elected leadership.

Washington also favoured the term of ‘Mr. President’ rather than the more formal address of Excellency which remains today and supported the tradition of the presidency being limited to just two-terms though, that did not become law in the United States until 1947. Due to George Washington’s close links with France, particularly through his relationship with the Marquis de Lafayette, he was granted honorary citizenship in 1792.

Washington's historic Farewell Address, a letter written in 1796 towards the end of his second term as a valedictory to "friends and fellow-citizens referenced his twenty years of public service to the United States. With the end of his presidency, Washington was succeeded by his Vice President, John Adams who took part in the country’s first contested American presidential election against Thomas Jefferson at the end of 1796. Washington retired to his home at Mount Vernon in Virginia in March 1797 and devoted time to his business interests. He died on the 14^th December 1799 at the age of 67 due to what had been described as complications consistent with cynanche trachealis, a term to refer to severe inflammation of the upper windpipe. He was buried in the Washington family vault at Mount Vernon on the 18th December 1799 and in his will, he left instructions for the construction of a new vault which was completed in 1831. In his honour and while still living, the United States capital city was named Washington, District of Columbia and in 1791 and in 1853 the pacific territory of Washington was named in his honour, and became the State of Washington in 1889. To this day, in both popular and scholarly polls, George Washington is consistently considered one of the greatest presidents in American history.

The obverse side of the gold and silver coins share the same design created by senior engraver Joaquin Jimenez whose inspiration for the works is that of the busts and statue commissioned in 1784.The French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon arrived in America in 1785 and created three busts of George Washington. One of the busts was made from terracotta plaster and later exhibited at Monticello. Houdon also created a bust in marble which was later given as a gift to Washington. Additionally, he worked on a full-figure sculpture of the new President Washington in 1788, which was completed and installed in the Virginia State House in 1796. The obverse side features a depiction of the head and shoulders bust with the text GEORGE WASHINGTON placed along the upper rim. To the left of Washington’s portrait is a reference to the first flag of the United States created by Betsy Ross with the original thirteen stars in a circle and the thirteen horizontal stripes representing the first thirteen colonies comprising the United States at the time of the declaration of independence in 1776. The reverse is dedicated to the seal of the Continental Army, historically placed under the command of George Washington in 1775. The coat of arms represents a snake flying over a military trophy, made up of armour, crossed flags and weapons. This composition refers to the military strength and resilience of the Continental Army during the War of Independence. Above the primary design and along the upper rim is the text UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and in continuance, the additional text BOARD OF WAR AND ORDANANCE is placed along the lower rim. To the left of the military crest are the initials RF in reference to Republique Francaise and found on the right is the denomination shown in a vertical direction denoted with the Euro € symbol.

Available from the 6^th May, the gold and silver proof coins are encapsulated and presented in a custom case accompanied with a numbered certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please visit the online e-webshop of the Monnaie de Paris.