The news that the Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) is offering medals to help finance the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral reminded me that the Mint is another institution that should be on any traveler's list of Paris "must sees". The museum section is extremely professionally curated and will be a joy for any numismatist, scripophily collector, minting technology student and mineralogist.

Image 1: You may be surprised that there's something there for both stock and bond collectors and geology students. One of the more inspired exhibits are displays directed to each of the coinage metals - gold, silver, zinc, etc., where each showcase includes ingots, coins, ore samples, French mining company stocks and related objects. Shown is the copper exhibit.

Image 2: For treasure fans, there are a series of exhibits on finds, including the story about the Treasure of Rue Mouffetard - 3,556 Louis XIV French gold coins discovered in the walls of a building in 1938 - and which turn up regularly in auctions today.

Image 3: For history addicts and collectors of Vietnamese material there are selections from the Treasury of Annam taken by the French when they took over the Palace and Citidel of Hue in what became French Indochina in 1885. The display is stylistically quite innovative.

Images 4 amd 5:In January there was a special exhibit on engraving, including punches and other technology.

When planning your visit to France you must not miss this place. The pictured entrance on 2, Rue Guenegaud was the easiest to find, a side street off Quai de Conti. Hours are 11-7, Wednesday to 9, closed Monday. 14 Euro fee. The mint shop has modern material (and the Notre Dame medals) for sale.

The address is for the mint MUSEUM. I never saw anything like the US mints' production rooms. They may be there somewhere but I had not time to root them out.

For more information, see:
https://www.monnaiedeparis.fr/