France · Louvre Museum Paris

Issue date30 Jan 2025

Total mintage315,000

EU maximum315,000

Editions6

Edge lettering2 ★ ★ × 6, alternating upright/inverted

Inscription2025 / RF

DesignerJoaquin Jimenez

mintMonnaie de Paris, Pessac

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin is dedicated to the Louvre. The design shows the eastern façade of the museum in connection with its labyrinthine floor plan and its exceptional rooms. In the background, the pyramidion and the structure of the large pyramid represent the traditional and contemporary character of the Louvre; the inscriptions “2025” and “RF”, as well as the mint marks, are integrated into the floor plan.

The design

The eastern façade of the Louvre is depicted, combined with the museum’s emblematic labyrinthine floor plan and its exceptional rooms. In the background, the pyramidion and the structure of the Great Pyramid illustrate the traditional and contemporary character of the Louvre. The year of issue “2025”, the country code “RF” and the mint marks have been integrated into the museum’s floor plan. The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer coin ring.

Background on the topic

The Louvre did not originate as a museum. Its history dates back to a fortress that King Philip II had built at the then western edge of Paris at the end of the 12th century. Under Francis I, its conversion into a Renaissance palace began in the 16th century. Subsequent rulers expanded the complex over several centuries. The eastern façade, also known as the Louvre Colonnade, was created in the 17th century under Louis XIV. It forms part of the palace facing Paris.

After the royal court was moved to Versailles in 1682, the Louvre served, among other purposes, to accommodate artists, academies and royal collections. During the French Revolution, the former royal palace was converted into a public museum. In 1793, the Musée central des arts opened there. This gave the public access to works of art that had previously belonged primarily to royal, ecclesiastical or aristocratic collections. The Louvre thus also became an expression of a new state understanding of art ownership and cultural education.

Under Napoleon, the museum was expanded and for a time called the Musée Napoléon. Part of its holdings came from confiscations in conquered territories; after Napoleon’s defeat, numerous works were returned. Over the further course of the 19th and 20th centuries, the buildings and collections continued to grow. Today, the museum encompasses art and archaeological objects from several millennia and different regions of the world.

The glass pyramid in the Cour Napoléon was designed by the architect Ieoh Ming Pei and opened in 1989. It was created as part of the “Grand Louvre” project, through which large areas were reorganized and the central entrance was relocated beneath the courtyard. Its modern building material and geometric form stand in deliberate contrast to the historic palace.

No specific anniversary is cited as the reason for the issue in 2025. The choice can instead be explained by the Louvre’s role as a state museum, historic seat of power and internationally renowned French cultural symbol.