Women’s right to vote in France commemorated by The Monnaie de Paris

The obverse of the coin shows a portrait of a women facing left, symbolising a look back at how far women have come in their fight for both gender equality and justice. Envelopes, spelling out ’80 ans du droit de vote des femmes’ (which translates to 80 years of women’s right to vote), circle the women’s face as they enter a ballot box. The year’s 1944 and 2024 are inscribed to underline the anniversary date. 

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Above: The new coin from Monnais de Paris shows a woman looking back at how far suffrage has come in France

The reverse of the coin shows the face value of €100 surrounded by laurel and oak branches. The reverse design is framed by a series of lines representing the hexagon. Included in the packaging of the new coin is a timeline of key dates in the history of women’s rights in France. 

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The new coin can be purchased from the Monnaie de Paris for its face value of €100 and has a limited mintage of 5,000, with shipping expected to begin on 22nd September this year. The coin is also available as a €10 coin and is available online for €12 and are expected to ship from 17th September 2024.  

Above: The reverse of the coin shows laurel and oak branches

Gender equality in France

The advance of a women’s right to vote in France was marked by decades of struggle. The formal recognition of gender equality came in April 1944 by General Charles de Gaulle’s provisional government. Women in France were not actually able to vote until the municipal elections in April 1945, then in the legislative elections in 1948. 

A law passed in 2000 establishing parity consolidated the progress already made and led the active participation of women in French political life today.