Obverse. Photo © Monetnik.ru
  • 2 Euro 2023, KM# 3226, France, 2023 Rugby World Cup in France
  • 2 Euro 2023, KM# 3226, France, 2023 Rugby World Cup in France
Description

In 2023, France will host its second Rugby World Cup, after that of 2007. The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for rugby union national teams. In order to prepare for this major sporting event, Monnaie de Paris is launching a series of coins.

The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams. The winners are awarded the Webb Ellis Cup, named after William Webb Ellis, who according to a popular legend, invented rugby by picking up the ball during a football game.

The tournament was first held in 1987 and was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia. Four countries have won the trophy; New Zealand and South Africa three times, Australia twice, and England once.

Obverse

Depicts a stylized portrayal of a rugby player sprinting with the rugby ball amidst the goalposts positioned at both ends of the field. The field itself is represented by a stylized globe, serving as a symbol for the global nature of the event. Positioned above the image is the caption "2023 Rugby World Cup in France". In the lower left corner, the official Rugby Union logo, while the lower right corner features the monogram "RF" (French Republic) along with the mintmarks of the mint and engraver. The twelve stars of the European flag are shown on the outer ring of the coin.

A rugby ball is a diamond shape ball used for easier passing. Richard Lindon and Bernardo Solano started making balls for Rugby school out of hand stitched, four-panel, leather casings and pigs' bladders. The rugby ball's distinctive shape is supposedly due to the pig's bladder, although early balls were more plum-shaped than oval. The balls varied in size in the beginning depending upon how large the pig's bladder was.

Mint mark of the Paris Mint (Monnaie de Paris in Pessac): Cornucopia (horn of plenty)

Privy mark of the General Engraver of the Paris Mint: Two nested squares superimposed on a rhinoceros head (Joaquin Jimenez)

COUPE DU MONDE RUGBY FRANCE 2023
RF
COUPE DU MONDE
RUGBY
FRANCE 2023

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 ★ ★

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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