The 12 stars of the European Union surround the new Marianne, signed by Fabienne Courtiade, an engraver at the Paris Mint, and to the right from top to bottom are the initials of the French Republic (RF), the mint marks of the Paris Mint and mint master, the year.
Marianne is a national symbol of the French Republic, an allegory of liberty and reason, and a portrayal of the Goddess of Liberty. Marianne is a significant republican symbol, opposed to monarchy, and an icon of freedom and democracy against all forms of dictatorship.
Mint mark of the Paris Mint (Monnaie de Paris in Pessac): Cornucopia
The directors of the Paris Mint use the following mint master's marks:
1999-2000: Bee (Pierre Rodier)
2001-2002: Horseshoe (Gérard Buquoy)
2003: Heart (Serge Levet)
2004-2010: Hunting horn (Hubert Larivière)
2011-present: Pentagon (Yves Sampo)