Paris, France —The French Mint throughout its long and illustrious existence has worked closely with artists and designers to create its most emblematic of objects, the medal. In 2020, the establishment launched its Paris Mint Prize to encourage exchanges with artists and to showcase the know how of its arts and craftsmen.

For this first prize the Mint chose not one but two artists: the designer Laurent Massaloux and the artist Joris Van de Moortel. They worked with the Mint’s master craftsmen to produce the two limited edition medals. Each medal in silver, was brought out in seven pieces. The medal designed by Laurent Massaloux is built around a saying of the French philosopher Edgar Morin, Wait for the Unexpected. While the medal created by Joris Van de Moortel offers a journey juxtaposing the medieval age with contemporary society.

« I wanted to create this Prix de la Monnaie de Paris so that our know how can endure and for it to dialogue with contemporary creation. We are very pleased with the success of this first competition in which 174 candidates participated, »  commented Marc Schwartz, the CEO of La Monnaie de Paris, during the ceremony held at the Mint on November 17th, 2021. A second edition was announced on the same evening. In the second half of the 20th century the Mint has worked in its workshops with artists like Dali, César and Brassaï.

The French Mint, known as La Monnaie in French, is located on the banks of the Seine in Paris and was officially founded in 864 with the Edict of Pistres in which Charles the Bald, the King of West Francia, decreed the creation of a coining workshop in Paris attached to the crown. The Mint, the Monnaie de Paris, is regarded as France’s longest standing institution and potentially the oldest enterprise in the world.
©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette
https://www.monnaiedeparis.fr/