Up to 1.2 million euros lost, tons of coins destroyed… the incredible blunder of the Paris Mint

L'Europe a finalement retoqué le nouveau design de nouvelles pièces de monnaies (photo d'illustration). image4you – PIXABAY

Le directeur général de la Monnaie de Paris a fait frapper 27 millions d'unités de nouvelles pièces de 10, 20 et 50 centimes dont le design a été retoqué par la Commission européenne.

It's a blunder that should cost France dearly. As told by La Lettre, the general director of the Paris Mint, Marc Schwartz, wanted to redo the design of several French coins including the 10, 20 and 50 centimes. 

Marc Schwartz wanted these new documents to be presented on December 7, 2023 to the Minister of the Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, on the occasion of this occasion. #39;a trip to the headquarters of the Paris Mint, the organization responsible for minting euros in France.

Une bourde à 1 million €. La Monnaie de Paris a fait frapper 27 millions de pièces jugées non conformes par la Commission européenne. Le PDG, Marc Schwartz, n'avait pas attendu la validation d'un nouveau design par l'Europe pour lancer la production.https://t.co/YZMWBtjjJj

— LA LETTRE (@lalettre_fr) January 11, 2024

The workers worked hard

He therefore decided not to wait for the prior and obligatory validation of the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs of the European Commission, reports La Lettre.

To respond to their boss's request, the workers at La Monnaie de Paris worked hard, notably doing the "three-eight&quot ;.

Retoked design: why ?

L'Europe finally rejected the new design, due to poorly readable stars "on the side representing the European continent" according to our colleagues.

The invoice price

It was therefore necessary to destroy these tons of centimes – 27 million new coins – and re-mint new ones. Invoice price ? Between 700,000 and 1.2 million euros for the public establishment.

Contacted by our colleagues, Marc Schwartz returned responsibility to "the'French State", citing a "postponement beyond his control& quot;.

For its part, the Ministry of the Economy announced that it was opening an evaluation to shed light on this story.