A huge personal favourite of mine and of many other collectors, the Monnaie de Paris’s stunning ‘From Clovis to Republic’ series of coins are drawing to a close this year, their fifth. Released at the rate of three per year, this fifteen coin set has grown to be one of the most beautiful series of modern commemoratives to appear anywhere. Designed by French designer Christian Lacroix, a favourite of Ab Fabs Edina Monsoon, they took the decision to do away with gimmicks and go with a clean struck appearance, but done in the style of a hammered coin of old, albeit a ‘designer’ one.

Release in 22g silver and 8.45g gold, either format looks superb and when set in the collectors box becomes a great thing to own. This year, like last year for the first time, a solitary one-ounce gold has joined the fold, that can be considered part of the range, but not part of the set if you know what I mean. The slightly yellower appearance of this coin is due to the move from 0.920 to 0.999 gold, thus removing he copper that tends to give that slightly orange tinge reminiscent of the Krugerrand and the American Gold Eagle.

As the most modern of the coins subjects, the three designs are slightly held back by losing out on that wonderful medieval and renaissance aesthetic, but Lacroix has done a superb job regardless and they make worthy additions. Poincare is available to order now, with De Gaulle available from the 15th, and Mitterand from the 28th. The silver is €50, the gold €420, and the 1oz gold a not unreasonable €1670.

There’s far more on the range over at our Coin Series Profile and it’s well worth a look.

RAYMOND POINCARE

Raymond Poincaré (20 August 1860 – 15 October 1934) was a French statesman who served three times as Prime Minister, and as President from 1913 to 1920. He was a conservative leader, primarily committed to political and social stability.  He was noted for his strongly anti-German attitudes, and twice visited Russia to maintain strategic ties. At the Paris Peace Conference, he favoured re-occupation of the Rhineland, which he was able to carry out in 1923 as Prime Minister. (Source: Wikipedia)

Our favourite of the three designs this year as it’s the one most in keeping with the aesthetic of earlier years.

OBVERSE: Depicts Raymond Poincare’s portait, around which is inscribed his name and the date of issue.

REVERSE: Depicts a cornflower and the poppy which are a reference to the period of the First World War that has marked Poincaré’s presidency. The dates 1913-1920 are to be found inscribed at the bottom. They reflect the duration of his mandate as President of the French Republic.

CHARLES DE GAULLE

Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle ( 22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970) was a French general, resistant, writer and statesman. He was the leader of Free France (1940–44) and the head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944–46). In 1958, he founded the Fifth Republic and was elected as the 18th President of France, until his resignation in 1969. He was the dominant figure of France during the Cold War era and his memory continues to influence French politics. (Source: Wikipedia)

Always a controversial figure and one widely disliked amongst his allies, his influence on 20th century France is undeniable. Possibly the weakest of the three designs this year, it’s a testament to the quality of the series as a whole that it’s still an excellent piece of work.

OBVERSE: Depicts Charles de Gaulle’s portait, around which is inscribed his name and the date of issue.

REVERSE: Depicts a period BBC microphone, reminding us of the speech Charles de Gaulle gave on the 18th of June 1940 from London. His call for resistance was broadcasted on the day after Marshall Petain had pronounced armistice. The dates 1959-1969 sign the duration of his mandate as President of the Repulic, and are inscribed at the bottom.

GOLD ONE-OUNCE LIMITED RELEASE

We weren’t sure if the practice of releasing a single design in the 1oz gold format that was started last year would continue, but there is to be one. Disapponintingly it’s the De Gaulle coin, but this size does remain the nicest of the Clovis coins.

FRANCOIS MITTERAND

François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand (26 October 1916 – 8 January 1996) was a French statesman, who served as the 21st President of France, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the first figure from the left elected President under the Fifth Republic. His partnership with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl advanced European integration via the Maastricht Treaty, but he accepted German reunification only reluctantly. (Source: Wikipedia)

A nice design, especially the obverse which ranks as about the finest use of the Euro symbol in coin art we’ve seen to date. The portrait on the reverse is excellent, although we think all three releases lack the sheer style of the earlier coins, an inevitable result of moving away from medieval design.

OBVERSE: Depicts Francois Mitterand’s portait, around which is inscribed his name and the date of issue.

REVERSE: Depicts a rose, symbol of the Socialist Party, represented by François Mitterrand from 1971 to 1995. The dates of Mitterrand’s mandate as President of the Republic (1981-1995) also appear on the reverse.