3268) 80th Anniversary of D-Day, World War II: Monnaie de Paris issues 50 EURO (gold) 10 EURO (silver) or ¼ EURO (alum-Br) Coins:
Monnaie de Paris has released - Two-Year Commemoration and Series of Gold & Silver Proof Coins commemorating the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in Worfld War II..
The Monnaie de Paris has released an exceptional series of proof quality coins marking the 80th Anniversary of the launch of D-day.
Four distinctive designs feature on new D-Day anniversary coins.
It was eighty years ago in June 1944 when the ambitious landing of Allied Forces onto the shores of France was considered the turning point in the struggle to defeat Nazi Germany and Hitler’s occupation of much of the European continent.
The Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II which consisted of armed forces from Canada, the Free French Forces, the United Kingdom, and the United States was the largest seaborne invasion in history.
Planning for the operation began in 1943 but in the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception in an effort to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the Allied landings which had long been anticipated by Axis forces.
The coded designation "D" merely stood for "Day" although to the most important persons involved, the official designation of this historic event was codenamed "Operation Neptune".
General Dwight D. Eisenhower of the United States Army was appointed commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force and General Bernard Montgomery, affectionately known as “Monty” of the British Army was named as commander of the 21st Army Group, which comprised all of the land forces involved in the invasion.
12,000 planes of the Allied Air Forces cleared the Luftwaffe from the skies and photographed enemy defences whilst the Allied Naval Forces patrolled the English Channel, patrolled the beaches and their defences. On D-Day itself, the 6th June 1944 – and despite unfavourable weather conditions, more than 1,000 transports dropped paratroopers to secure the beaches.
Amphibious craft landed over 130,000 troops on five beaches along the Normandy coast.
British and Canadian forces landed on Gold, Juno and Sword Beaches whilst American troops landed on Utah and Omaha Beaches.
In the weeks following the invasion, Polish forces also participated, as well as contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and the Netherlands.
Out of 156,000 fighting men, the allied armies suffered nearly 12,000 casualties with 4,414 confirmed fatalities.
The Header/Banner shows the Obverse and Reverse of the Gold Coins and soldeirs of D-Day
The five bridgeheads or landing points were not connected until the 12th June, by which time the Allies held a front of around 60 miles (97 km) long and 15 miles (24 km) deep.
Caen, a major objective, was still in German hands at the end of D-Day and would not be completely captured until the 21st July.
From this new front, the allied armies continued their push into Western Europe with a Soviet offensive on the Eastern front from Belorussia occurring on the 22nd June and resulting in the almost complete destruction of the German Army Group Centre.
At midnight on June 6 and in the days that followed, around 150,000 men and 20,000 vehicles, representing a total of 15 different nations, landed on the beaches of Normandy to liberate the territory.
It took the Allies more than three months to reach Paris and liberate the capital, putting an end to 4 years of German occupation.
Within less than a year from the D-Day launch, the Third Reich of Hitler’s Nazi regime capitulated entirely and an unconditional surrender was accepted by the Allied command on the 7th May 1945.
Coin Designs - Because Normandy would not have been liberated without the Allied nations, the Monnaie de Paris has decided to pay tribute to this historic event through a series of stories.
The collector coins in this collection are dedicated to 4 soldiers from the 4 major Allied nations, each of whom landed in Normandy on the June 6th 1944.
These 4 fictional heroes exemplify the stories of soldiers who actually fought during the Normandy landings.
Each detailed depiction on the Obverse is the work of Joaquin Jimenez, General Engraver of Monnaie de Paris.
Omaha Beach - James is an American officer in the 1st Infantry Division and landed on Omaha Beach, nicknamed "Bloody Omaha".
Here, he poses in front of the beach at the end of the day.
In the background are the bunkers, as well as the many landing crafts and ships out to sea to support the beachhead.
Juno Beach – Fred is a lieutenant with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, nicknamed the "Little Black Devils", and a member of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division.
He landed on Sword Beach at Graye, near Courseulles. He poses in front of the beach, where we can see a Churchill AVRE tank, two soldiers from his unit holding the
Canadian flag as it was in 1944, and a traditional house from the Côte de Nacre landscape.
Sword Beach – Léon is a Second-Maitre (Petty Officer) of the Commando Kieffer, and was one of the 177 Frenchmen who took part in the Normandy landings on the beach known as "Sword Beach", alongside British forces as part of Commando N°4.
Here he poses in front of one of the Ouistreham bunkers, with his comrades in the background holding the flag of the Free French Naval Forces.
Pegasus Bridge – Richard is a British Glider with the Air-landing Brigade, and was part of the 6th Airborne (British and Canadian). He landed on the night of June 6, 1944, in a glider to the east of Sword Beach. Here he poses in front of Pegasus Bridge after the successful completion of Operation Deadstick.
The glider in which he landed is in the background under the trees.
The Reverse of all coins in this series features flag representations of all the Allied countries that officially took part in the Normandy landings, surrounded by the face value "50 EURO (gold)" "10 EURO (silver)" or "¼ EURO (Alum-Br)" and the initials "RF" for "REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE".
Clockwise the flags are those of the Free French, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Australia, USA, Norway, UK, Czechoslovakia, Canada and Belgium.
The commemorative text placed above the primary design along the upper rim reads "Du D-Day au VE-Day 80eme Anniversaire".
To the lower left and right are the commemorative years 1944 and 1945 along with a collection of five five-pointed stars in tribute to the Liberty Road, the milestones marking the route taken by the 3rd American Army to liberate France, and all the way to Luxembourg.
The specifications of these coins are:
Denomination: 50 Euro, 1/4 Euro, 10 Euro; Metal Composition, & Weight & Denomination: ¼ Euro X 4 Alum-Br 15.8 g. 34 mm. Coin Quality & Mintage & Weight:BU 10,000 each 10 Euro X 4 .999 Silver 22 g. 37 mm. Proof 1,944 Each 50 Euro X 4 .999 Gold 7.78 g. 22 mm. Proof 500.
- Each
Each base metal BU coin is enclosed in a card format presentation which includes the printed artwork featured on the coin.
- The Gold and Silver proof coins are encapsulated and presented in a custom case accompanied with a numbered certificate of authenticity (COA).
Links:
1) For more on the Olympics and Paralympics held in the past, including the origins and history of the Olympics and Commemorative coins issued both on London Olympics and Paralympics please read my post on the London Olympics 2012 link as follows: History of the ancient & modern Olympics and Paralympics & commemorative coins issued during the London Olympics and Paralympics
4) For Rio 2016, please click on the following link to get interesting insights into the mascots of the Rio Olympics Vinicius and Tom, the Games and the Commemorative Coins and stamps issue programme: 1)The 31st Summer Olympics "Rio 2016"2) Commemorative Stamps and booklets issued by the Department of Posts, India on 05.08.2016
5) For Ancient Olympic Games on Greek Coins of Antiquity, please click on the following link: Ancient Olympic Games on Greek Coins of Antiquity
6) For a set of Post cards titled "Olympic Events" : please click on the following link: "Olympic Events": A set of 12 Post Cards issued by the Karnataka Postal Circle, India Post on 11.07.2016
7) For a presentation set of two stamps titled "Spirit of Olympics, Athens, Atlanta" please visit the following link: Spirit of the Olympic Games, Athens-Atlanta: Celebrating the Centenary of the Modern Olympic Games
8) For a presentation set of four stamps titled "XXVIII Olympic Games" (2004 Summer Olympics Athens, Greece, please visit the following link: XVIII Summer Olympic Games, Athens Greece (2004)
9) For a presentation set of two stamps titled "XXIX Olympic Games" (2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China, please visit the following link: XXIX Olympic Games Beijing, China: 08.08.08- 24.08.08: A Presentation set of four stamps issued by India Post on 08.08.08
10) The 31st Summer Olympics or the "XXXI Summer Olympic Games" or "Rio 2016" being held in Brazil (05.08.2016-21.08.2016): Commemorative Coins and Postage Stamps
2023 Rugby World Cup Tournament, France:
Posts on Coins and Stamps issued by France:
L'Aviation Historie (Aviation & History) Coin Series:
65) Jean Baptiste Poquilin (known professionally as "Moliere"), France: 400th Birth Anniversary (1622-2022): Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint) has issued Gold and Silver Coins celebrating the milestone: Year of Coins issue: 01/2022
66) "Smiley", France: 50th Anniversary (1972-2022): Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint) has brought out a 10 Euro Silver Coin celebrating the mileastone: Date/Year of Coins/Medals issue: 2022
67) "Animals at Dusk", France: La Poste, France (French Post) has brought out a 12 Stamp Booklet depicting Animals seen at Dusk: Date/Year of Stamp Booklet issue: 14.02.2022
68) Crafts - Luthierie, France: La Poste, France (French Post) has brought out a Postage Stamp of 1.65 Euro on the National School of Lutherie Mirecourt: Date/Year of Stamp issue: 14.02.2022
69) "Odeillo Solar Furnace", Republic of France: La Poste France (French Post) has issued a Postage Stamp of 1.16 Euro on the World's largest Solar Furnace located in France: Date/Year of Stamp issue: 28.03.2022
70) "The Grand Organ, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France: "Treasures (or Tresors) of Notre Dame Stamp Series": La Poste, France (French Post) has issued a Postage Stamp of 1.65 Euro, depicting the historical Organ: Date of stamp issue: 18.04.2022
Links to 2024 Paris Olympic posts:
Women of the World Coin Series:
Natures of France (Natures de France) - Trilogy Coin Series:
Ors de France Coin Series:
Museum Masterpieces Coin Series:
EUROMED stamp issues:
Links on Banknotes & Stamps on Charlie Chaplin:
Links to other Coins in the Cyborg Revolution Coin Series" issued in this Series:
1) A tour of Pune's Blind School and interaction with the students - a short story
2) A two-Rupee coin issued by the Indian Mints honouring Louis Braille on the occasion of his 200th Birth Anniversary in 2009 and a brief report on the Braille system
3) Canadian Institute for the Blind (CNIB): 100th Anniversary: A set of a Silver Coin of $30 and a Medallion issued by the Royal Canadian Mint on 21st March 2018
4) Launch of Mobile Aided Note Identifier (MANI) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI): Date of launch: 01.01.2020
5) Guide Dogs for the Visually impaired/Blind persons, French Federation of Guide Dog Assciatioons (FFAC), France: La Poste France (French Post) has issued a Postage stamp of 1.16 Euro highlighting the role of Guide Dogs and their rigorous training in assisting the visually impaired/Blind persons: Date of Stamp release: 26.09.20226) Honouring Louis Braille on the Bicentenary of his birth in 2009
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