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450 écus de Cernay [68]
| Issuer | Ville de Cernay |
|---|---|
| Year | 1995 |
| Type | Local coin |
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| Obverse description | Central view of the Porte de Thann, the historic medieval gateway of Cernay (Alsace), depicted in fine relief showing the arched entry portal, flanking stone tower with crenellations, and a Gothic church spire rising behind. The legend VILLE DE CERNAY arcs across the upper field in large raised letters, while LA PORTE DE THANN curves along the lower field. Twelve five-pointed stars are arranged in a ring around the central motif, referencing the European emblem. The piece was engraved by Gérard Buquoy. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Cernay, a small industrial town in Haut-Rhin, issued this piece as part of the wave of French municipal "écus" that proliferated in the early 1990s following the Maastricht Treaty negotiations — a period when regional and local authorities across France briefly asserted symbolic monetary identity ahead of the anticipated loss of the franc. The denomination in écus was a deliberate nod to the medieval French monetary unit, revived politically as a name for the proposed European currency before "euro" was adopted in 1995.
Most of these municipal issues were struck in very limited numbers by the Monnaie de Paris on contract. Collector demand evaporated quickly once the novelty faded.