Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2010, KM# 1676, France, 70th Anniversary of the Appeal of 18 June
  • 2 Euro 2010, KM# 1676, France, 70th Anniversary of the Appeal of 18 June
  • 2 Euro 2010, KM# 1676, France, 70th Anniversary of the Appeal of 18 June, Folder
Description

The Appeal of 18 June was a famous speech by Charles de Gaulle, the leader of the Free French Forces, in 1940. The appeal is often considered to be the origin of the French Resistance to the German occupation during World War II. De Gaulle spoke to the French people from London after the fall of France. He declared that the war for France was not yet over, and rallied the country in support of the Resistance. It is one of the most important speeches in French history.

Obverse

Depicts General Charles de Gaulle, in uniform and bareheaded, at a microphone typical of the time, reading the Appeal, in which the name of the country RF is inserted. At the top is the year mark and below it the inscriptions 70th Anniversary of the Appeal of 18 June. The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring.

Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (1890–1970) was a French general and statesman. He was the leader of Free France (1940–44) and the head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944–46). In 1958, he founded the Fifth Republic and was elected as the 18th President of France, a position he held until his resignation in 1969. He was the dominant figure of France during the Cold War era and his memory continues to influence French politics.

The mintmark (Cornucopia, the logo of the Monnaie de Paris) and the engraver's mark (Hunting horn, a wave and a fish, Hubert Larivière) appear respectively on the left and the right-hand sides of the year mark.

Engraver: Nicolas Cozon

2010
70 ANS APPEL 18 JUIN
RF

Reverse

A geographical map of Western Europe spans the outer ring and inner core on the right side of the coin. The inscription 2 EURO is superimposed over the map of Europe, with the numeral “2” located in an open field representing the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

12 stars are located on the right side of the outer ring, with six stars atop the map of Europe and six stars below it; six vertical stripes cut across the inner core of the coin, visually connecting the upper and lower star segments.

Luc Luycx, a designer at the Royal Belgian Mint, designed the Euro’s common reverse; his initials, LL, are seen on the right side of the design, just under the “O” in “EURO.”

2 EURO
LL

Edge

The sequence "2 ★ ★" repeated six times alternately upright and inverted

2 ★ ★ 2 ★ ★ 2 ★ ★ 2 ★ ★ 2 ★ ★ 2 ★ ★

2 Euro

70th Anniversary of the Appeal of 18 June

KM# 1676 Schön# 1066 Gadoury# 12
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Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Bi-Metallic
Ring Cupronickel
Center Nickel Brass
Weight 8.5 g
Diameter 25.75 mm
Thickness 2.2 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Paris Mint (A)

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