2019-06-19 Wed

The Monnaie de Paris issued five commemorative coins to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day military operations which helped the Allied forces defeat Nazis. One of them is a .900 fine silver €10 coin in Proof version. Quarter-ounce gold €50 and 1-ounce gold €200 coins have also been issued. One of each denomination is struck in fairmined gold. That is, the gold has been discovered from the source. Fair wages and environmental factors have also been considered during the mining process. The fairmined gold versions have English inscriptions while the other versions have French inscriptions.

All coins share the same designs except for the denominations and specifications. The obverse design symbolises the different types of military operations that were a part of the D-Day mission. The inscription D-DAY is prominent, the letters of which contain flag designs of America, Britain, Free France and Canada. The inscription 75E or 75TH on the English version marks the anniversary of this historic event. Other elements include a flying Dakota with symbols of USAF and RAF on its wings, Spitfire and Mustang fighters, paratroopers, small planes, and soldiers in action.

The reverse side depicts flags of all the allied countries who took part in the Normandy operations - Free France, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Australia, United States, Norway, United Kingdom, Czechoslovakia, Canada, and Belgium. The face value, year of issue and letters RF which stands for Republique francaise are also shown on the reverse design.

The 22.2 grams silver coin has a diameter of 37 millimetres and a mintage limit of 5,000 pieces. The (7.78 grams) quarter-ounce gold coins have a diameter of 22 millimetres and a mintage limit of 500 pieces. The fairmined gold €50 coin has a mintage limit of 750 pieces. The (31.104 grams) 1-ounce gold €200 coins have a diameter of 37 millimetres and a mintage limit of 250 pieces. The fairmined gold €200 coin has a mintage limit of 75 pieces. The silver coin, quarter-ounce gold coin, fairmined gold €50 coin, 1-ounce gold coin and the fairmined gold €200 coin can be purchased for €55, €505, €750, €2,200 and €3,000, respectively.

Image Courtesy: Monnaie de Paris