International Success For French Mint's PCGS-Certified D-Day Commemoratives
The historic agreement between Monnaie de Paris (the French Mint) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT) for the certification of impressive D-Day commemorative coins was a resounding international success. Special presentations of the coins were made at the French Embassy in Washington, DC and at French government consulate offices from New York City to San Francisco on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the crucial World War II battle.
2004 D-Day silver commemorative |
2004 D-Day gold commemorative |
This is a behind the scenes report about this extraordinary international numismatic achievement between PCGS and Monnaie de Paris.
The project started in January at the important World Money Fair in Basel, Switzerland where Michael Haynes, Chief Executive Officer of Collectors Universe, and former United States Mint Director, Jay Johnson, now Director of Business Development for Collectors Universe, privately met with Gilles de Gouyon, Director of Development and Marketing to explore possible joint ventures. They met again in March at the International Mint Directors Conference in San Francisco, California, along with Muriel Eymery, North America Representative, and Director of Money and Medallions, Dov Zerah.
2004 D-Day striking |
"We agreed on an exciting project never before done by Monnaie de Paris. The French Mint would co-brand a coin issue with a private company, and those coins would be authenticated and graded by an independent party, PCGS," said Haynes.
For the first time in the history of Monnaie de Paris, specific numbered designations were given to the first strikes of their commemorative coins. The first 200 each of the French Mint's 1½ € denomination 2004-dated silver and 20 € gold proof coins struck in May to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion were certified by PCGS.
A total of 2,000 gold and 20,000 silver proof D-Day 60th Anniversary coins were minted, but only the first 200 of each are specially designated as First StrikeSM by PCGS, indicating that they were the first coins from the dies.
Michel Prieur, a prominent French coin dealer, served as the PCGS representative, and personally verified the first strikes. The coins were each protectively encased in individual hard plastic round holders just a little larger than the coin, and shipped to PCGS's California headquarters for inspection and encapsulation. They arrived under armed guard on June 2. Within a few hours, the first coins were closely examined and encapsulated in sonically-sealed holders. (The behind-the-scenes photos here show the careful examination of the coins while they were still encased in their individual holders; a blast of compressed air being shot from a nozzle into the PCGS holders prior to insertion of the coins; and the sealing of the PCGS holders.) A short time later, a set of the gold and silver coins was placed on display at the big Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectible Expo that was getting underway that same afternoon.
D-Day coin examination |
Encapsulation preparation |
D-Day coin encapsulation |
The coins immediately attracted attention and positive comments.
"The PCGS encapsulation holder label shows the number of the coin in the series, 1 through 200, to indicate the strict limit on the total available supply," said Miles Standish, PCGS Senior Vice President. "Each insert label also includes the name, Monnaie de Paris, and is hand-signed by Dov Zerah, Director of the French Mint."
Dov Zerah autograph |
The front of each coin depicts American, English and French soldiers arriving on the Normandy coast on June 6, 1944. The back of each coin reads: D-DAY, LIBERTÉ, EGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ ("liberty, equality, fraternity").
June 6, 2004 marked the 60th anniversary of the epic1944 attack along the Normandy coast by the United States and its World War II allies to liberate France and the rest of Europe from the Nazis. Code named, Operation Overlord, it remains the world's largest air, land, and sea military operation. It involved over 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes, and more than 150,000 allied service personnel.
During a D-Day anniversary reception at the French Embassy in Washington, DC, on June 5, Johnson personally presented coins to former Florida Congressman, Sam Gibbons, and former South Dakota Senator, George McGovern, both World War Two combat veterans.
Gibbons & Johnson |
McGovern |
Monnaie de Paris North American Representative Muriel Eymery presented coins to, Richard Duqué, the French Consul General in New York City. In a June 8 letter to Collectors Universe, he wrote:
"Thank you very much for present me with a D-Day gold proof coin minted by Monnaie de Paris. It is indeed a beautiful coin with a very impressive design.
"The D-Day coin will allow me to always remember the 60th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings on June 6, 1944. The French people will never forget the sacrifices of American soldiers during this extraordinary military operation which led to the liberation of France and Europe.
"On June 6, 2004 I participated in a very moving ceremony at West Point. On this occasion I was privileged to present General W. J. Lennox, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, with the Monnaie de Paris D-Day silver coin."
French Consul Duque |
Representing Collectors Universe, Anthony Johns of U.S. Coins, Inc., provided a set of the D-Day coins to the French Consulate in Houston, Texas,
(http://www.consulfrance-houston.org/pages_anglaises/DDAy.htm) and Dr. Donald Kagin, a member of the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors, gave coins to Frédéric Desagneaux, the French Counsel General in San Francisco, California.
This is the first international authentication and grading agreement between PCGS and a sovereign mint, and is part of the company's expansion of products and services for collectors in the $3 billion international collectible coins market.
D-Day Gold PCGS PR69 CAM |
D-Day Silver PCGS PR69 CAM |
To purchase the First StrikeSM D-Day commemorative coins, contact Buddy Keller, Keystone Rare Coins, 3029 College Heights Blvd., Allentown, PA 18104. Email: Keycoin@aol.com. Phone: (610) 770-9500.
For information about Monnaie de Paris and the D-Day commemorative coins, contact Yolande de Brosses, Monnaie de Paris, 11 Quai de Conti, Paris 75006 France. Email: presse@monnaisedeparis.fr. Phone: (33) 01 40 46 58 40.
For information about PCGS, contact Professional Coin Grading Service, P.O. Box 9458, Newport Beach, CA 92658. Phone: (800) 447-8848. E-mail: info@pcgs.com.
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