Monnaie de Paris Begins Three-Year "French Genius" Trilogy With 2026 "Genius of Liberty" Coins
Monnaie de Paris has launched the "French Genius" trilogy, three coins to be issued over three consecutive years, Numismatic News reported on February 18, 2026. The first, the "Genius of Liberty," is available as a €250 gold coin (15,000 pieces) and a €100 silver coin (10,000 pieces), with higher gold denominations due later in 2026. The "Genius of the Constitution" follows in 2027 and the "Genius of Fraternity" in 2028.
Correction (Oct 13, 2026): We corrected the headline, summary and body to match the source. We removed market and investment claims not in the source (scarcity, set-completion premiums, attention from institutional investors) and a reference to cutting-edge digital engraving, and replaced the statement that each year would honor one of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity with the source's plan: the "Genius of the Constitution" in 2027 and the "Genius of Fraternity" in 2028. The previous headline was "Monnaie de Paris Trilogy Redefines Historical Numismatic Value Through Revolutionary Ideals."
This article is based on a Numismatic News report published on February 18, 2026.
Monnaie de Paris has launched the "French Genius" trilogy, a series of three coins to be issued over three consecutive years. The first coin, the 2026 "Genius of Liberty," is offered in gold and silver.
The national motto, shown through the Génie
"Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" is the national motto of France and was adopted during the French Revolution. The purpose of the series is to pay homage to these founding values of the French Republic.
It does so through the Génie (Genius in English), a naked male-like figure with angel wings and a star on its forehead, which evokes intellectual enlightenment. In French culture the Génie represents humanism, justice and awakening, and it was a common motif in works from the French Revolution.
The "Genius of Liberty" design
On the obverse, the Génie is surrounded by oak and laurel leaves, with a star balanced atop his head. He holds a torch in his right hand, symbolizing the light that guides the people, and a broken chain in his left hand, signifying liberation from oppression.
The design was inspired by Augustin Dumont's bronze statue The Genius of Liberty (Génie de la Liberté), which stands atop the July Column in Place de la Bastille in Paris.
Gold and silver specifications
Two versions are currently available:
- €250 gold: universal glossy quality, 1.75 grams, 13 millimeters in diameter; 15,000 pieces were available at release. - €100 silver: 45 grams, 47 millimeters in diameter; mintage of 10,000, lower than the €250 gold.
More gold versions of the "Genius of Liberty" will follow during the year: €1,000 in March, €2,500 in May, €5,000 in September and €10,000 in December.
Plans for 2027 and 2028
The other parts of the trilogy are the "Genius of the Constitution" in 2027 and the "Genius of Fraternity" in 2028.
The "Genius of the Constitution" coin will use a design by Augustin Dupré showing a Génie engraving the word "Constitution" on a tablet with a stylus. The image has appeared on many historic French coins.
The final coin, the "Genius of Fraternity," will show an unpublished Génie design by Dupré. It was chosen after research by the Monnaie de Paris conservation team, which found no prior use of the work in the mint's numismatic archives.
Information about the series is available at monnaiedeparis.fr.
Source: Numismatic News, "Coin Profile: A 'Genius' Coin" (February 18, 2026).
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