Humanity of United States Independence - The arrival of Lafayette in Boston

History of united states independence - arrival of la fayette in boston

2020 marks the 240th anniversary of the arrival of Marquis de La Fayette in Boston on April 28, 1780, aboard the Hermione. A major event in the history of the United States as it contributed to the decisive victory of the separatists against the British troops at the Battle of Yorktown on October 17, 1781.

From 2020, Monnaie de Paris will retrace the history of American independence through a collection of coins. The designs of the coins will be taken directly from old medals published by Monnaie de Paris. This sub-theme is part of the Major Landmarks in the History of Humanity theme which started in 2019 with the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the First Step on the Moon and D-Day.

Emblematic coins

On the obverse of the coins, we can see the portrait of Marquis de La Fayette. The reverse has a coat of arms composed of the Hermione, the frigate with which La Fayette arrived in Boston; fleur-de-lys, symbol of the French monarchy; as well as French and American flags referring to the signature of the independence of the United States. The 25€ Silver and 200€ Gold coins have an octagonal shape. A format that reflects a technical feat in cutting, and echoes the medals struck in the eighteenth century with the effigy of Marquis de La Fayette. This is the first time, since 1150 years, that Monnaie de Paris offers a coin of 25€ octagonal!