La qualité "Belle Épreuve" est la plus haute qualité numismatique devant les qualités "Brillant Universel" (BU) et "courante". Une pièce belle épreuve est une pièce obtenue au moyen de coins et de flans spécialement préparés et de conditions de frappe particulières, de sorte que les motifs de gravure ressortent avec une grande netteté et que la surface est sans défaut. Les fonds de la gravure sont extrêmement brillants, les reliefs sont matés.
Mintage
200
Millésime
2024
Valeur faciale
200€
In 2024, to celebrate the reopening to the public of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral after five years of restoration, Monnaie de Paris is partnering with this masterpiece of Gothic architecture to strike a collection of coins of excellence.Since the...
French Excellence - Notre-Dame de Paris 200€ Gold 1Oz Proof Proof quality yeardate 2024
€3,700.00
Description
In 2024, to celebrate the reopening to the public of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral after five years of restoration, Monnaie de Paris is partnering with this masterpiece of Gothic architecture to strike a collection of coins of excellence.
Since the Middle Ages, the builders of cathedrals have been legends of craftsmanship, their prowess having shaped the history of construction and architecture. Through this collection, a genuine dialogue is being established between the ‘numismatic conservatory’ and the ‘heritage conservatory’. Each institution brings its own history, its own trades and its own ancestral skills handed down through the centuries.
The obverse of this exceptional coin shows Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in its purest form. Rather than contenting itself with a rectangular shape that is faithful to the structure of the building, Monnaie de Paris wanted to pay tribute to the Gothic style of the cathedral by using the contours of an ogival bay decorated with quatrefoils. Eugène Viollet-le-Duc’s reconstructed spire forms the mullion of the bay and fits in perfectly with the dynamic of the design, revealing at the top the new statue of the rooster created during the reconstruction work.
The ogive-shaped bay also evokes the cathedral’s stained-glass windows, another distinctive feature of the Gothic architectural style. The face value of this coin is inscribed in the façade of the cathedral, as is the year commemorating the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris to the public.
The reverse side takes us inside the cathedral. Here we see the completely renovated heart, revealing the new liturgical furnishings in the nave. Overlooking the vaulted ceiling, the Notre-Dame framework is inserted into the top of the mullion, revealing a complex interlocking of trusses, triangular wooden structures supporting the cathedral roof. The framework here is a faithful representation of the new framework of the Gothic cathedral, itself rebuilt identically and with the same craftsmanship as the building’s original framework.
The Collection
Founded in 864, Monnaie of Paris is the oldest company in the world. It has cultivated tradition in the metal artworks for twelve centuries. As such, it is an associate member of Colbert Committee, gathering the greatest French luxury companies.
In 2014, Monnaie of Paris is celebrating its 1150th anniversary. For this occasion, Monnaie of Paris is launching a new collection named "French Excellence". The aim is to highlight every year one of the art crafts that constitute the unique heritage of French luxury, by working with one major house belonging to Colbert Committee.
It is obviously the meeting of two great French houses, the Louvre and Monnaie de Paris, that nourishes this edition, but also the meeting of know-how several centuries apart. It is actually a great emotion to engrave again these historical motifs as the craftsmen of the time were able to do in their time. I feel like I am in the shoes of the Pharaoh's personal engraver more than three millennia later.
Engraver word
Our craftman
THE ENGRAVER
Trained at the best schools, they have the years of experience behind them necessary to master all aspects of the craft. Using industrial oil-based modelling clay and working from a design executed freehand or with CAD software, they skilfully fashion a low relief model in order to enhance the engraving and the way it catches the light. They work alternately with concave and convex plaster moulds until satisfied they have achieved the best 3D rendering of the design.
THE MINTER
The first minters began to ply their trade in France when striking with a hammer appeared in the 4th century BC. Nowdays, minsters use press instead of a hammer. Their knowledge of dies, engraving and metals, and their expertise - passed seamlessly down from one generation to the next for centuries - guarantees the excellence of their work.