France’s Pierre Hermé Macaron Named Most Innovative 2023-dated Coin
France’s macaron shaped three-dimensional coin was named the most innovative at the Coin of the Year (COTY) Awards for 2023-dated coins. The Pierre Hermé Macaron Coin, which honors the famous French pastry chef Pierre Hermé, is part of the French Excellence series.
The winning coin celebrates the art of craftmanship and is a collaboration between Hermé and the Monnaie de Paris’s General Engraver, Joaquin Jimenez. As described by the Monnaie de Paris:
La Monnaie de Paris and Maison Pierre Hermé Paris are combining their expertise to present an exclusive collection of coins in the shape of a macaroon, the emblematic pastry of Maison Pierre Hermé Paris. This prestigious alliance unites the mastery of know-how, the quest for excellence and the limitless creativity of Pierre Hermé and Joaquin Jimenez.
According to the mint, the Pierre Hermé Macaron Coinswere made from three blanks. Two blanks were cut out and then shaped and debossed to give the curved appearance of macaroon cookies. Another blank was cut and hollowed out, creating the appearance of a crown. Its edges were then crushed with a tool to reproduce the rounded aspect of the macaroon’s ganache. This same blank was then struck to create grooves that are used to set the two curved blanks. The inside of the macaroon coin is hollow.
The coin’s obverse features Pierre Hermé’s initials and the seal of the French Republic, which are intertwined. The reverse depicts salt crystals, the pastry chef’s essential companion. It also includes the year (2023) and the coin’s face value (20 EURO).
The Pierre Hermé Macaron Coin contains 1 oz of pure gold and has a total weight of 46.4 grams. The coin’s diameter is 39 mm. Mintage is limited to 500 pieces. This design is also available in a 20 Euro Silver coin weighing 31.10 grams with a mintage of 5,000.