With a history going back a staggering 1150 years since its formation, the Monnaie De Paris has been minting coins longer than anybody, so it goes without saying that there’s a rich history to draw from when deciding what to strike on your next coin. This time they haven’t gone back too far, choosing to showcase the Gallic Rooster, an ancient symbol of Gaul that has its origins in the days of the Roman occupation because the Latin for rooster and for the Gallic people then was Gallus.

The original was minted between 1899 and 1914, struck in 0.900 gold and carried on it’s obverse the portrait of Marianne, a personification of Republican France. On the reverse was the rooster with the famous French phrase, “LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE” (Liberty, equality, fraternity) surrounding it. These coins are still readily available as they were minted in large numbers.

Following the introduction of the Sower and Hercules, the Monnaie de Paris honours this year another major French numismatic symbol: the Rooster. Like the former symbols, it is represented using modern numismatics codes. 

On the obverse, a rooster’s bust with its cockscomb and feathers represented in a contemporary style with a rich textural surface. It carries the French motto « Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité». In the background, the French flag is depicted in heraldic colours like on the 10, 20 and 50 euro cents coins: horizontal stripes for blue, no stripes for white and vertical stripes for red.

The reverse shows the face value surrounded by two branches (oak and laurel) that evoke the Euro symbol. The entire reverse motive is framed in a hexagonal design representing the shape of France. The coins artist was Joaquin Jimenez.

Сountry: France
Data of issue: 2014
Face value: 250 Euro / 100 Euro / 10 Euro
Metal: Gold .999 / Silver .900 / Silver .500
Weight: 4,5 g / 50 g / 17 g
Diameter: 23 mm / 47 mm / 31 mm
Mintage: 25,000 pcs / 50,000 pcs / 500,000 pcs