France

2018

Commemorative coin

Le Bleuet de France

Official Journal of the European Union

For 100 years, the cornflower (Bleuet de France) has been the flower of remembrance and solidarity in France. It started as a means of helping injured veterans of the First World War, but before long had been adopted by the whole French nation as a symbol of gratitude for the sacrifices the soldiers had made to defend their country and their ideals. Today, as in the past, the cornflower still provides moral and financial support to veterans and victims of wars past and present and to victims of terrorism. It also helps pass on to young people standards and values such as respect, peace and tolerance. This flower of remembrance honours all those who fought and are still fighting for our freedom today. The design features the cornflower in the centre of the coin. It is surrounded by the words ‘Le Bleuet de France, fleur de mémoire et de solidarité’ (Bleuet of France, flower of remembrance and solidarity). The dates ‘1918-2018’ as well as the letters RF for République Française (French Republic) and the mint marks are also included in the design. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

France commemorates with the symbolic "Bleuet de France" (Cornflower of France), the flower of remembrance and solidarity, the war victims, widows, orphans and veterans of the First World War called "Grande Guerre". Suzanne Lenhardt, head nurse at the Hôtel des Invalides, a home for disabled soldiers, and Charlotte Malleterre worked to rehabilitate the disabled and in 1916 had these cornflowers made from handkerchiefs and offered for sale. The flower thus became a symbol of moral and financial support for veterans and victims of war, of their soldiers' fight for land and ideals, and a symbol of peace, respect and tolerance for the entire French nation. Gaston Doumergue, president during the Third Republic, became patron of the "Bleuet de France" in 1928. Today, the memory of all those who fought and still fight for freedom, as well as the victims of terrorism, is remembered. The central motif of the coin, the cornflower, is surrounded by the words "Le Bleuet de France, fleur de mémoire et de solidarité" (The Cornflower of France, flower of remembrance and solidarity). At the bottom are the abbreviations "R" and "F" ("République Française") and the dates "1918-2018". The flag of France, called "Tricolore", is shown as background, following the heraldic rules of tingierung: horizontal hatching = blue on the left, smooth in the middle = white, vertical hatching = red on the right. In the Journal officiel de la République française, it was reported that for every 10,000 copies produced in the Polished Plate production process or packaged in Coincards, colouring is used. They are therefore legal tender - although the EU legal technical specifications do not provide for the use of a colour imprint. Coloured circulation coins should not exist, but the EU tolerates them, especially as they are produced in small quantities and packaged separately and are therefore not used as currency. There are two minting variants, as the coloured coins were minted without the two vertical lines separating the segments of the deposited "tricolour".

Edge lettering

Designer