Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. The one ounce (1 oz) silver coins are denominated as either two pounds (£2) or five pounds (£5), depending on the occasion.
Initially, these were only of the Britannia type, but in 2015 the Royal Mint started to use the format for coins with other types of reverse designs, celebrating various aspects of British heritage.
The coins are legal tender but are not intended for circulation. They are targeted at bullion investors or collectors who appreciate the special editions as pieces of art.
This design is the third release in the City Views series and features Paris, the capital of France.
The mint says about it: After stops in London and Rome, our collection dedicated to city views continues its journey around the world to Paris, one of the world’s great cultural capitals. The coin’s reverse design has been skilfully adapted from a wood engraving and lithograph produced in 1900. Recreating a famous district of Paris filled with architectural marvels, the city’s defining structure, the Eiffel Tower, dominates the skyline.
As a near neighbour of the United Kingdom, the French capital’s influence is all around us, sartorially, intellectually and artistically, while Parisian culture has long found its way into British society. |