First published in France in 1946, The Little Prince of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is much more than a children's story: it is a universal work that spans generations, celebrating poetry, friendship and wonder at the world. Translated into 627 langu...
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The Little Prince Mini-medal Saint-Germain-des-Prés Mini-medal 34mm
€5.99
Description
First published in France in 1946, The Little Prince of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is much more than a children's story: it is a universal work that spans generations, celebrating poetry, friendship and wonder at the world. Translated into 627 languages and dialects, this timeless story has become one of the most widely read and translated books in the world.
Written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint Exupéry, The Little Prince was first published in 1943 in New York in English and French, before being released in France in 1946 by Gallimard, where it became a bestseller, selling over 15 million copies.
To mark the 80th anniversary of the publication of this iconic work in France, Monnaie de Paris is paying tribute to the little traveller from the stars with a collection illustrating 80 years of adventures and journeys, highlighting the different modes of transport associated with the adventures of The Little Prince. Airplanes, planets, compasses, telescopes and luggage are combined in original designs that call for adventure. The Little Prince is an initiatory tale in which the main character leaves his planet to discover others. By highlighting travel, the Monnaie de Paris also pays direct tribute to Antoine de Saint Exupéry, himself a great traveller through his profession as an aviator.
On the obverse, the Little Prince and the fox are standing in front of a café. Tables and chairs occupy the terrace. Above the shopfront, the flower-covered façade of the building that houses the shop can be seen. The name ‘Saint-Germain-des-Prés’ is inscribed on the edge of the coin.
On the reverse side is the logo of the Monnaie de Paris, surmounted by the word ‘France’ and surrounded by stars. Around the reverse side, the name ‘France’ is inscribed in different languages.
The Collection
To mark the 80th anniversary of the publication of The Little Prince in France, Saint-Exupéry's poetry meets numismatics with, for the first time, a commemorative 2-euro coin, consecrating The Little Prince as a great classic of French literature.
The Little Prince is a regular visitor to the engraving workshop at the Monnaie de Paris, and it is always a pleasure to see him again and reinvent ourselves with him! Every time I draw him, my fondness for the world imagined by Saint-Exupéry is renewed. It is no coincidence that his character remains so relevant 80 years after his first appearance: the aviator knew how to write timeless stories.
Engraver word
Our craftman
THE MEDAL MINTER
The medal minter transforms a blank into a medal, alternating between striking to bring out the relief and annealing to return the metal to a more malleable state. The blank is struck as many times as necessary, depending on the diameter, depth and detail of the engraving. Finally, surface treatments are applied to enhance the finished piece
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.
