Among all the coins created from the single currency, one is particularly prized.
It’s the dream of many people and some believe in it wholeheartedly. However, each time, disappointment is the order of the day. Euro coins convey a fantasy to many individuals, who believe they hold coins with (very) high value because of a detail. Problem: most of the time, only information on the internet has been taken and hopes are quickly dashed by currency specialists, forced to bring customers to their senses. Their coins are not worth more than the value written on them. All, or almost.
According to several numismatists, there is only one euro coin with a very high value. When some say that the presence of an S in a star is a guarantee of rarity, others praise a typo to raise the stakes… But that is not the case. The professionals are categorical: if the piece is not sealed in a box, it cannot be worth several thousand euros.
The only true euro coin that has a colossal value is the 2 euro coin bearing the image of Grace Kelly. On the back of this piece of copper, zinc and nickel, the bust of the woman who was the Princess of Monaco between 1956 and 1982 and mother of the current Prince Albert II is represented. This special edition was designed in 2007, to mark the 25th anniversary of his death, and only 20,001 copies were produced (including 1 for the prince).
But it is not a coin put into circulation to be able to pay for your baguette. Indeed, due to its low circulation, it is sold enclosed in a capsule, itself placed inside its original box, red and bearing the image of Monaco. It was also created with a special strike, the “universal brilliance” (BU) strike.
To acquire one, it is better to go to a professional and not be lured on online classified ads sites. However, you have to be prepared to write a big check to hold it: it is impossible to get it in exchange for another 2 euro coin. Numismatists display it between 3000 and 4500 euros, even without its original box. However, when it was issued, it was “only” worth 110 euros. Its rarity, but also “because it’s Grace Kelly”, caused prices to jump, also boosted because it was the first commemorative coin released by Monaco.
Since 2013, the principality has been required to release a new one every year, without exceeding 15,000 copies, specifies Nice-Matin. For the record, these coins are minted in France, in Pessac, near Bordeaux. France has been producing the small state’s currency since 1837.