50 euro cent FRANCE (1999-2002)

in coin centre personification of France - simplified figure of Marianne in Phrygian cap sowing cereal leftwards (La Semeuse), in the background the Sun hidden mostly below the horizon; on the right letters: RF (RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE - French Republic); on the left year of issue; at the edge a ring of twelve five-pointed stars - symbol of the European Union

right from the coin centre face value: 50, below in two lines: EURO / CENT; on the left a simplified map of Europe showing borders of countries - members of the EU in 1999; in the background of the map vertically six parallel lines ending on both sides with five-pointed stars (the reverse is common for all euro coins)

reeded

1 I 2002

in circulation

Laurent Jorio based on the design of Loius Oscar Roty (vertically over RF in the obverse signature L.JORIO D'AP.O.ROTY - D'APRÉS OSCAR ROTY - based on Oscar Roty), Luc Luycx (initials LL after 50 in the reverse)

La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before the Marianne's feet in the obverse, after Marianne's feet privy mark of mint's director Pierre Rodier - bee - in years 1999-2000, or Gérard Buquoy - horseshoe - in years 2001-2002, or Serge Levet - heart - in 2003, or Hubert Larivière - horn - in years 2004-2006)

1999	105 753 600	bee	+ 35 000 in annual boxed sets
2000	179 496 000	bee	+ 35 000 in annual boxed sets
2001	276 252 274	horseshoe	+ 35 000 in annual boxed sets
2002	226 384 000	horseshoe	+ 165 290 in annual boxed sets
2003	-	heart	+ 242 342 in annual boxed sets
2004	-	horn	+ 160 000 in annual boxed sets
2005	-	horn	+ 120 000 in annual boxed sets
2006	-	horn	+ 80 000 in annual boxed sets

Privy marks of the general engravers of the Mint of Paris, which can be found on French coins produced after 1944:

Lucien Bazor	1931-1958		wing
Raymond Joly	1958-1974		owl
Emile Rousseau	1974-1994		dolphin
Pierre Rodier	1994-2000		bee
Gérard Buquoy	2001-2002		horseshoe
Serge Levet	2003		heart
Hubert Larivière	2004-2010		horn
Yves Sampo	from 2011		rosette

Marianne - the allegory of Liberty - the symbol of the culture and the national emblem of France. Her images adorn not only coins, but also stamps, state seals, institutions logos, courts of law. Marianne is presented mostly in the Phrygian cap (cap of liberty). Many monuments and paintings were devoted to her. She is often armed leading the French people to fight for liberty, equality and fraternity. Marianne's image changed over the years. Anonymous Marianne was represented by faces of movie stars such as Brigitte Bardot or Catherine Deneuve. Below the official logo of France and the French government.



The Paris Mint (La Monnaie de Paris) dating back to the 6th century is the oldest French institution, and some would say - oldest institution in the world. The mint office is located in the center of Paris in a complex called Hotel des Monnaies, which was opened on December 20, 1775. A cornucopia is the symbol placed on any coin minted by the Paris Mint from January 1, 1880. The second character visible on coins was a symbol of the general engraver (Graveur general). The tradition of this job dates back to 1547 when Henry II of Valois appointed a general engraver as the only person authorized to create the king's portrait. Only the design prepared by the general engraver could have been copied to the coins stamps in national mints. Starting from 2001, the heads of engravers workshop in the Paris Mint do not hold this traditional title anymore, but their privy marks still appear on French coins next to the mint mark.

The name of the French mint - La Monnaie de Paris - suggests that the plant producing coins is located in the French capital. This is however, only the company name and factories were placed in various French cities. At the moment, the only place producing coins of France (and of some other countries) is Pessac near Bordeaux.