A New €2 Coin in France Celebrates Notre-Dame’s Rebirth
To mark the first anniversary of Notre-Dame’s reopening, the Monnaie de Paris has released a special €2 coin depicting the cathedral’s west façade. Twenty million of these coins will enter circulation across France starting this week.
The coin’s design features the cathedral’s two towers and central rose window, engraved by Joaquin Jimenez, the Monnaie de Paris’s “graveur général.”
The inscription “Notre-Dame de Paris” appears below the image, along with “RF 2025,” representing République Française.
Each piece is produced at the mint’s high-security facility in Pessac, near Bordeaux, the site where all French euro coins are struck.
The release pays tribute not just to the monument, but to the thousands of artisans, engineers, and donors who contributed to its restoration after the devastating fire of 2019.
20 Million Coins in Circulation
The Monnaie de Paris usually produces around 50 to 60 million €2 coins a year, many of which replace older or damaged ones.
This issue of 20 million coins will represent a large share of France’s 2025 production, meaning they’ll circulate widely rather than remain collector rarities.
In scale, the mintage is comparable to that of the 2024 Olympic commemorative coin, which reached 24 million copies, a record for the French mint.
The Notre-Dame issue follows that tradition of marking national milestones through widely distributed currency.
Collector Versions for Enthusiasts
In addition to circulation coins, two collector editions have been released. These premium versions feature the same design but are struck in higher quality with special finishes.
They are priced at €12 and €25 and available directly through the Monnaie de Paris website and its Paris boutique.
Such editions often attract numismatists who value perfect mint condition or limited-edition packaging. The standard coins will also hold sentimental value for anyone interested in French culture, even without collector markup.
A Coin with Symbolic Weight
The new €2 coin celebrates an anniversary and a collective recovery. Notre-Dame reopened to the public in December 2024 after years of reconstruction. Its restoration involved extensive craftsmanship, from carpentry and stonework to the re-creation of its spire and stained glass.
The Monnaie de Paris describes this release as an homage to “national pride and shared effort.”
A Chance to Hold History
With millions of coins entering circulation, it won’t take long before one lands in your wallet. Each piece connects daily life to one of the most important restoration projects of the century. If you find one, keep it!