Mint – Paris
Obverse – Marianne embodies the desire for a sound and lasting Europe. She is the national emblem of France, a personification of Liberty and Reason. She symbolises the “Triumph of the Republic”, a bronze sculpture overlooking the Place de la Nation in Paris.
Catalogue – KM# 1282
During the classical times it was common practice to represent ideas and abstract entities through means such as Goddesses, Gods and allegorical personifications. This practice was not very common during the Middle Ages. It came back into practice during Renaissance. The French Revolution was a period, when, many allegorical personifications of ‘Liberty’ and ‘Reason’ were made. The figures of ‘Liberty’ and ‘Reason’ were merged into one. It was a female figure that was depicted either sitting or standing. Various attributes such as the cockerel, the Phrygian Cap and tricolor cockade accompanied the female figure.
The woman symbolized many things. These included Liberty, the Nation, Reason, the Homeland and the civic virtues of the Republic.
Some other powerful national symbols that represent France include Blue-White-Red, Liberté-Egalité-Fraternité and the Republic. All these national symbols have been combined in a new “identifier” that was created by the French government of Lionel Jospin.