From the Franc to the Euro, La Monnaie de Paris remains closely entangled with the history of France and its coinage. La Monnaie de Paris is a state owned industrial and commercial company, which holds the monopoly of manufacturing circulating coins for the French Republic. La Monnaie de Paris also fights counter-manufacturing of euro coins, produces guarantee marks for the State and showcases the collections of Musée de la Monnaie to the public.
An industrial tool, at the service of the State.
La Monnaie de Paris provides industrial and commercial services from two geographic locations: the Hôtel de la Monnaie in Paris and the monetary manufacturing plant in Pessac, Gironde. The latest has all the characteristics of a metallurgic industry, but with a special character. Since more than 25 years, the Pessac factory, which employs more than 340 people, manufactures circulating French, euro and foreign coins. For the launch of the euro, the Pessac factory struck over 9 billions of euro coins between 1998 and 2002.
A commercial activity supported by Monnaie de Paris’s worldwide recognized brand.
In addition to collector coins and medals, the cultural and artistic vocation of La Monnaie de Paris encompasses the manufacturing of civil and military honor decorations and the creation of art bronzes and jewels. La Monnaie de Paris commercializes these products to the public under the registered brand name of Monnaie de Paris in France and overseas. La Monnaie de Paris has also developed a major « business to business » activity through its offering of special editions of medals and customized corporate gifts. It finally offers its salons of Hôtel de la Monnaie, located quai de Conti, to corporations, public agencies and collectivities as a prestigious showcase for their promotional events.
A public space of creation, conservation and heritage.
La Monnaie de Paris manage the Museum of Coinage or Musée de la Monnaie. The museum, which is located within the Hôtel de la Monnaie facing the Louvre Museum in Paris, offers tours and activities that are especially orientated toward a young audience. It regularly organizes exhibits, private sales, concerts and auctions for numismatists and medal collectors. Since 2003, La Monnaie de Paris also calls for thematic competitions, which are open to engravers, graphic designers, illustrators and artists. Their creations add to the wealth of the artistic production of its own art craftspeople and engravers. La Monnaie de Paris opens as well centuries of archives to researchers and students. These archives can be consulted at the library of la Monnaie, located 11 quai de Conti. Finally, La Monnaie de Paris is an associated member of the prestigious Comité Colbert and partners with the doctorate program (DESS) in Fashion, Art and Luxury of the Université de Paris-Sorbonne.
Monnaie de Paris, from his origin to the Euro.
The willingness and necessity to control and manage monetary issues as well as coinage production have remained sources of concern for public authorities.
The Ancient Regime to the Revolution.
Charlemagne had already realized the necessity to centralize monetary issues within its palace. Through the Ordonnance of 864, Charles le Chauve « forbides the striking of coinage in any other location than the Palace » (« fait défense de fabriquer des monnaies en nul lieu si ce n’est au Palais »). The manufacturing organization evolves nonetheless over the centuries. A new dual structure appears in 1358 and prevails in its principle until 1879: on the one hand, an administration granted with jurisdictional and regulatory powers over monetary matters, and on the other hand manufacturing workshops under the State’s control.
From the Revolution to the euro.
La Monnaie de Paris reports to the Ministry of Finance since the laws of 22nd and 23rd vendémiaire An IV were adopted in September 1796. The laws of July 31st and November 20th 1879 establish that the manufacturing of coinage can exclusively be done by the State. In 1973, the State decide to create in Pessac (Gironde) a modern manufacturing facility to handle all processes in the manufacturing of circulating coins – from the foundry of raw metals to final packaging. Circulating French or foreign coins are now manufactured in the Pessac factory (Gironde) for more than 25 years. Since the spring of 1998, the factory mobilizes the majority of its resources to produce the eight-euro coins.
On January 1st, 2007 La Monnaie de Paris becomes an EPIC (state owned industrial and commercial company). In 2019, turnover amounted to 134 million euros for a workforce of 489 employees