France: French Excellence Series Continues With Gold And Silver Coins Honouring Notre Dame De Paris

Since 2010, the series French Excellence series has combined the exceptional know-how of French cultural institutions internationally renowned French brands brought together to create a unique collection that combines their respective talents. Among the major companies and institutions who have collaborated with Monnaie de Paris have included Cartier, Baccarat, Sèvres-Cité de la Céramique, Van Cleef & Arpels, Guy Savoy, Boucheron, the Louvre Museum, Berluti, Dior and Lacoste in 2023. For 2024, and in celebration of the public reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral after four years of precision restoration, the Monnaie de Paris is partnering with this masterpiece of Gothic architecture to strike collection coins as part of French Excellence.

Since the Middle Ages, the builders of cathedrals have been legends of craftsmanship, their exceptional skills having shaped the history of construction and architecture. One of the country’s best known and beloved landmarks of this era is known as Notre Dame de Paris. The name translates to Our Lady of Paris and is located on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris. Construction of the Cathedral began in 1183 during the Gothic Era in France and with King Louis VII on the throne. By the time the Cathedral was eventually completed by 1345, Philippe VI of the house of Valois was King and the cathedral became home to the crown of thorns, believed by the faithful to be a fragment of the True Cross and one of the Holy Nails. The decor included some of the most colourful and intricate stained glass panes ever assembled and also contains the cathedra or official throne of the Archbishop of Paris.

The Gothic-style masterpiece of architecture reaches a height of 226 feet or 69 meters, a length of 420 feet or 128 meters and a width of 226 feet or 69 meters. As such, it is one of the largest structures of its kind and among the first buildings in the world to use arched exterior supports, becoming a noted aspect of Gothic style construction. During the French Revolution which broke out in 1789, Notre Dame sustained considerable damage and as a result, underwent extensive reconstruction to restore its original Gothic splendour and where 2000 oak trees were required for its rebuilding.

Until very recently, Notre Dame welcomed more than 13 million visitors from all over the world and was the most visited monument in Europe. However, on the 15th April 2019, tragedy struck the country’s best-known landmark when just before 6:20 pm local time a structural fire broke out in the roof space. By the time the flames were extinguished almost one day later, the cathedral's wooden spire had collapsed. Inspections soon after the fire was doused revealed that most of the wooden roof had been destroyed and the cathedral's upper walls were severely damaged but extensive damage to the interior was prevented by the vaulted stone ceiling.

Many works of art and religious relics were moved to safety but others were severely damaged from smoke damage as well as some of the exterior art which also sustained damage or was destroyed. As a result of the fire, Notre-Dame did not hold a Christmas Mass in 2019 which was the first time since 1803 the service was not held. One day after the fires were completely extinguished, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of a five-year deadline to restore the cathedral. A thorough investigation in 2020 determined the fire may have been started either by either a cigarette or a short circuit in the electrical system. By September 2021, donors had contributed over €840 million to the rebuilding effort which was carried out using numerous archives, documents and scans and with carpenters using the same techniques as their predecessors. As a result of the efforts of all concerned, Notre Dame de Paris cathedral will reopen their doors on the 8th December 2024, in time for Christmas Mass.

The gold and silver proof quality coins are designed by Joaquin Jimenez,General Engraver of Monnaie de Paris. The collection pays tribute to the Gothic style of the cathedral by minting the proof coins with the contours of an ogival or, arch-shape. Of particular importance is the design incorporating the restorative works of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1814 – 1879), a French architect renowned for his restoration of the most prominent medieval landmarks in France. His reconstructed spire forms the mullion of the bay and fits in perfectly with the dynamic of the design, revealing at the top the new statue of the rooster created during the reconstruction work. The arch-shaped bay on the obverse side also focuses on the cathedral’s stained-glass windows, another distinctive feature of the Gothic architectural style. The face value of the coin 200€ (gold) or 10€ (silver) is inscribed in the façade of the cathedral, as is the year 2024, commemorating the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris to the public.

The reverse side features the inside the cathedral and the completely renovated heart, revealing the new liturgical furnishings in the nave. Overlooking the vaulted ceiling, the Notre-Dame framework is inserted into the top of the mullion, revealing a complex interlocking of trusses, triangular wooden structures supporting the cathedral roof. The design is a faithful representation of the new framework of the Gothic cathedral, itself rebuilt identically and with the same craftsmanship as the building’s original framework. The initials RF are discreetly placed just to the lower left.

Available from the 13^th December, Each arch-shaped proof coin is encapsulated to accommodate the special shape and presented in a custom case accompanied with a certificate of authenticity.

The round-shaped coins from the same collection highlight the rebuilding of the cathedral. The intersecting lines around the front of Notre-Dame symbolise the presence of scaffolding, on which the text REBÂTIR NOTRE-DAME (Rebuilding Notre-Dame) is cleverly incorporated on the obverse side. Each letter of the text is placed on a different level of the scaffolding, representative of the different crafts and skill-sets involved in the reconstruction.

The reverse focuses on the craftsmen and craftswomen working on the Notre-Dame construction site. Illustrations by artist Arthur Bonifay highlight all those persons who helped rebuild the Gothic cathedral to its original state such as carpenters, crane operators, stone masons and scaffolders. On the left side among the craftsmen are the initials RF and on the right, the denomination and year of issue, 2024. The €25 Silver coin features a chip on its reverse and integrated into the design. When scanned from a cell or mobile phone, it allows the owner to register and benefit from a digital certificate of ownership. 

Available from the 4^th December, Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom case accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

* Available from the 21^st December, The €25 Silver coin features a microchip which, when scanned from a mobile phone, enables the owner to log in and receive a digital certificate of ownership. Unable to falsify, this certificate stored on the blockchain can also be transferred to another account if the product is resold. Accessible only from the Monnaie de Paris ‘mes E-monnaies’ App, product owners will be able to consult models and drawings created by Monnaie de Paris' general engraver, as well as exclusive photographs and videos of the development of the coins in the Notre-Dame de Paris collection.

For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of the Monnaie de Paris.