The Monnaie de Paris have issued a new commemorative coin to highlight the anniversary of a new numismatic item which was introduced to collectors in late 2001, that of the EURO starter kit. The most recent EURO starter kit was issued just last December as Estonia adopted the Euro and retired their national currency, the Kroon.
The French €URO kit consisted of 40 coins totaling €15.25 in face value or 100 Francs. They were released for purchase on the 14th December 2001 and the quantity of 53,000,000 kits sold out in just days.
The commemorative coin's obverse shows the twelve stars of the EU with a depiction of Oscar Roty’s iconic design of “the sower” (first introduced on French circulation coins in 1897). The initials “RF” and the coin’s year of issue (2011) also appear. A similar design is currently carried on French circulation 50, 20 and 10 EURO-cent coins.
The reverse of the coin shows a portion of a EURO starter kit with the commemorative inscription “100 FRANCS SOIT 15,25 EUROS – 10 ANS DU STARTER KIT” along with the coin’s nominal value of 10 EURO.
Each coin is struck in .900 silver with a weight of 22 grams and a diameter of 37 mm. The coins are proof quality with a mintage of 10,000 pieces.
For more information on this and other coins issued for 2011 by the Monnaie de Paris, please visit their website with pages in English at: http://www.monnaiedeparis.com/collectionneurs/mc.htm
