France

Commemorative coin

2019

30 years of the fall of the Berlin Wall

(Part of the joint issue " 30 years of the fall of the Berlin Wall ")

Official Journal of the European Union

Thirty years ago, the Berlin Wall fell. Beyond the impact on German society, it was an event with global consequences. On November 9th, 1989, this occasion marks the end of the cold war and announces an appeasement after several decades of international tensions. At the European level, it is the first step towards the reunification of one of the leading countries of the European Union. This major change was after materialised by the Moscow Treaty of which France was a signatory. The European Union welcomed then 16 million new citizens in just one year; almost the structural and economic effect of welcoming a new country! The design represents the Berlin Wall, opened in its centre, letting the doves (allegories of the international appeasement), and the jubilant crowd pass. In the background, the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s symbol par excellence, is represented. The mention ‘30 years of the fall of the Berlin Wall/30 Jahre Mauerfall’ is inscribed on one side of the wall. At the bottom of the design is the year of issuance ‘2019’ and at its right the indication of the issuing country ‘RF’ (standing for République Française). The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

The coin commemorates the opening of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989, which opened the way for the reunification of Germany in freedom and democracy. It symbolically ended not only the division of Germany, but also of Europe and the world, and marked the end of the Cold War - a historical event of global significance. This significant change was sealed by the Two Plus Four Treaty, which paved the way for the reunification of Germany on 3 October 1990. The coin is a joint issue of France and Germany and shows the Berlin Wall, which is open in the middle, crossed by three doves of peace and a cheering crowd. In the background the Brandenburg Gate is depicted as the symbol of Berlin and on the wall segment on the right is a detail (albeit reversed) of the 37.20 m x 3.60 m painting "We are one people" created by Shamil Gimayev in 1990.

Edge lettering

Designer