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Message:: [QUOTE="Clinker, post: 934139, member: 6229"]France, Europa, Euro = Interesting Coins    The name of Europe as a geographical term was coined by Ancient Greek geographers such as Strabo. It's derived from the Greek word Eurōpē (Ευρώπη) in all Romance languages, Germanic languages, Slavic languages, Baltic Languages, Celtic languages, Fino-Ugric languages (Hugarian Europa, Finnish Eurooppa, Estonian Euroopa), as well as in Latin. To some Europa is a Goddess like Columbia, Marianne and Liberty. But that perception was to change.  Before 1537cartographers' maps of Europe included Europe, Asia and Africa. Two exceptions to this tradition occurred in the 12th and 14th Centuries. Lanbert of Saint-Omers published a Europe-only map in 1112 and the Byzantiums developed an Europe-only map sometime in the 1300s.  Johannes Putsch, inspired by those Europe-only maps, and enamored by the idea of Europa as a queen instead of a goddess because of his close ties to the House of Habsburg's Holy Roman Emporer (Ferdinand I) coined the phrase "Europa Regina" to place a title to his woman-shaped cartograph of Europe.  This concept was further enhanced by Sebastian Munster's Europa Regina by including a Europe-only map overprinted with his rendition of Queen Europa in various editions of "Cosmographica" beginning in 1570 and all editions subsequent to 1588.  Here's a photo of that Map:  Before you view the map, know that Europa regina is a young, graceful woman. Her crown, placed on the Iberian peninsula (Spain), is shaped after the Carolingian hoop crown (tiara). France and the Holy Roman Empire make up the upper part of her body, with Bohemia being the heart. Her long gown stretches to Russia and Greece. In her arms, formed by Italy and Daenmark, she holds a septre and an orb (Sicily).  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_As_A_Queen_Sebastian_Munster_1570.jpg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_As_A_Queen_Sebastian_Munster_1570.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_As_A_Queen_Sebastian_Munster_1570.jpg</a>   That's about all I'm going to cover on the name Europe.  France's Patron Allegorical Goddess, Marianne, is usually, on coinage, depicted as The Seed Sower or as a bust of Liberty facing left:  Bust:  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-930&desc=France%20km930%2020%20Centimes%20(1962-2001)&query=France%20km%20930" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-930&desc=France%20km930%2020%20Centimes%20(1962-2001)&query=France%20km%20930" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-930&desc=France%20km930%2020%20Centimes%20(1962-2001)&query=France%20km%20930</a>  The Seed Sower:  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-925&desc=France%20km925.1%201%20Franc%20(1960%2B)&query=France%20km%20925.1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-925&desc=France%20km925.1%201%20Franc%20(1960%2B)&query=France%20km%20925.1" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-925&desc=France km925.1 1 Franc (1960+)&query=France km 925.1</a>  Two more facts about Europa:  1.) The European Monetary Union adopted Europa as its property rights and maintains an official website named Europa at:   <a href="http://europa.eu/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://europa.eu/" rel="nofollow">http://europa.eu/</a>  France entered the European Monetary Union in 2000 producing circulation and proof coinage dated 2001 in the denominations of Euro Cent, 2 Euro Cents, 5 Euro Cents, 10 Euro Cents, 20 Euro Cents, 50 Euro Cents, 1 Euro and 2 Euro dated 2001.  Look at these eight photos courtesy of Don's World Coin Gallery (worldcoingallery.com) and make mental note of the reverses so you can recognize them later on in this article:  2001 16.3mm Copper Plated Steel Euro Cent (300,681,580):  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-1c02&desc=France%20km1282%201%20Euro%20Cent%20(1999%2B)&query=France%20km%201282" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-1c02&desc=France%20km1282%201%20Euro%20Cent%20(1999%2B)&query=France%20km%201282" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-1c02&desc=France km1282 1 Euro Cent (1999+)&query=France km 1282</a>  2001 18.7 Copper Plated Steel 2 Euro Cents (249,101,580):  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-2c02&desc=France%20km1283%202%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999%2B)&query=France%20km%201283" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-2c02&desc=France%20km1283%202%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999%2B)&query=France%20km%201283" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-2c02&desc=France km1283 2 Euro Cents (1999+)&query=France km 1283</a>  2001 21.2mm Copper Plated Steel 5 Euro Cents (217,324,477):  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-5c02&desc=France%20km1284%205%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999%2B)&query=France%20km%201284" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-5c02&desc=France%20km1284%205%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999%2B)&query=France%20km%201284" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-5c02&desc=France km1284 5 Euro Cents (1999+)&query=France km 1284</a>  2001 19.7mm Brass 10 Euro Cents (144,513,261):  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-10c02&desc=France%20km1285%2010%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201285" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-10c02&desc=France%20km1285%2010%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201285" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-10c02&desc=France km1285 10 Euro Cents (1999-2006)&query=France km 1285</a>  2001 22.2mm Brass 20 Euro Cents (256,342,108):  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-20c02&desc=France%20km1286%2020%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201286" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-20c02&desc=France%20km1286%2020%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201286" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-20c02&desc=France km1286 20 Euro Cents (1999-2006)&query=France km 1286</a>  2001 24.2mm Brass 50 Euro Cents (276,287,274):  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-50c02&desc=France%20km1287%2050%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201287" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-50c02&desc=France%20km1287%2050%20Euro%20Cents%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201287" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-50c02&desc=France km1287 50 Euro Cents (1999-2006)&query=France km 1287</a>  2001 23.3mm Bi-mnetallic 1 Euro (150,251,624)  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-1e02&desc=France%20km1288%201%20Euro%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201288" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-1e02&desc=France%20km1288%201%20Euro%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201288" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-1e02&desc=France km1288 1 Euro (1999-2006)&query=France km 1288</a>  2001 25.6mm Bi-metallic 2 Euros (237,950,793):  <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-2e02&desc=France%20km1289%202%20Euro%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201289" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-2e02&desc=France%20km1289%202%20Euro%20(1999-2006)&query=France%20km%201289" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img7/69-2e02&desc=France km1289 2 Euro (1999-2006)&query=France km 1289</a>  2002 saw France producing its first commemorative NCLT coinage. There are several varieties, but there are three numismatically important, to me, varieties you should know about.  One of the varieties is the Europa "Expansion of the Euro" series.  There are four 2001- 2002 denominations (all proofs) which feature the same eight French Euro designs on their obverses.  1.) The 2001 30mm silver (0.3762 oz. ASW) 1/4 Euro 2.) The 2001 22mm gold (0.2714 oz. AGW) 10 Euro3.) The 2002 37mm silver (0.6424 oz. ASW) 1 1/2 Euro3.) The 2002 37mm gold (0.9957 oz. AGW) 50 Euro4.) The 2002 50mm gold (4.995 oz. AGW) 100 Euro Here's a photo of the 2002 1 1/2 Euro courtesy of worldcoingallery.com so you can see the obverse and reverse Europa series designs: <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine_ns.php?image=nmc/69-1_5e02a&desc=France%20km1301%201.5%20Euro%20(2002)%20Europa%20Series&query=France%20km%201301" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine_ns.php?image=nmc/69-1_5e02a&desc=France%20km1301%201.5%20Euro%20(2002)%20Europa%20Series&query=France%20km%201301" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine_ns.php?image=nmc/69-1_5e02a&desc=France km1301 1.5 Euro (2002) Europa Series&query=France km 1301</a> The second important, to me, French Euro coins are: the 15mm 2003 gold (0.1 oz. AGW) 1/4 Euro.the 22mm 2003 gold (0.2499 oz. AGW) 10 Euro The coins' obverses and reverses features France's first one Franc coin. Here's a photo of the 2003 1/4 Euro courtesy of Coin Archives: <a href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=811354&AucID=598&Lot=3738&Val=430d42f52f264634316278d58562d949" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=811354&AucID=598&Lot=3738&Val=430d42f52f264634316278d58562d949" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=811354&AucID=598&Lot=3738&Val=430d42f52f264634316278d58562d949</a> Here's a photo of the first Franc: France's First Franc Coin (1803): (coinarchives.com photo) <a href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=789645&AucID=582&Lot=7668&Val=f28c74185ceb491745d68c2836a9cb3f" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=789645&AucID=582&Lot=7668&Val=f28c74185ceb491745d68c2836a9cb3f" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=789645&AucID=582&Lot=7668&Val=f28c74185ceb491745d68c2836a9cb3f</a>Our first entry into this article's theme was of the Europa series featuring eight French Euro coins on the obverses. Let's delve into the third variety; Europa series featuring only three coins: 37mm 2003 silver (0.6424 oz. ASW) 1.5 Euro: <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine_ns.php?image=nmc/69-1_5e03a&desc=France%20km1338%201.5%20Euro%20(2003)%20Europa%20Series&query=France%20km%201338" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine_ns.php?image=nmc/69-1_5e03a&desc=France%20km1338%201.5%20Euro%20(2003)%20Europa%20Series&query=France%20km%201338" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine_ns.php?image=nmc/69-1_5e03a&desc=France km1338 1.5 Euro (2003) Europa Series&query=France km 1338</a> Also issued in denominations of: 22mm Gold (0.2499 oz. AGW) 10 Euro,31mm Gold (0.5028 oz. AGW) 20 Euro,100mm Silver (30.45432 oz ASW) 50 Euro. Hope you enjoyed... Clinker[/QUOTE]

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