Numismatic

2019 Silver €10 Masterpieces of Museums Proof (Mona Lisa)

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In 2019, a remarkable rectangular silver coin was crafted to celebrate one of the most famous paintings in human history. This piece is part of a dedicated series highlighting the legendary artworks housed within the walls of French museums. Struck in 0.900 fine silver with a weight of 0.622 troy ounces, this ten-euro denomination coin is certified by the Monnaie de Paris, with a limited mintage of only 3,000 pieces. The obverse of this rectangular issue presents a striking reinterpretation of the Mona Lisa, the celebrated portrait of Lisa Gherardini begun by Leonardo da Vinci around 1503. Surrounded by a sculpted silver frame, the portrait is rendered with a nod to its original coloration. Da Vinci famously brought this masterpiece with him to France, where it eventually became part of the royal collection of King Francis I, ultimately finding its home in the Louvre Museum in Paris after its inauguration in 1793. On the reverse, the design connects the painting to its creator and his broader genius. It features a portrait of Leonardo da Vinci holding a compass, set alongside his famous flying machine concept and the geometric harmony of the Vitruvian Man. The background depicts a collage of French museum architecture, accompanied by a paragraph written in reverse mirror-script to honor da Vinci's signature writing style. The reverse also bears the inscription '500 ans' alongside the face value of 10 Euros, marking half a millennium of his enduring legacy.