Grand Duke Guillaume Presides Over First Euro Coin Minting

On Monday 6 July 2026, Grand Duke Guillaume undertook an official visit to Bordeaux (France) during which he observed the striking of the first Euro coin to carry his image.

The Grand Duke, accompanied by Luxembourg Minister of Finance Gilles Roth and members of Luxembourg’s press, including Chroncile.lu, attended an official dinner at the Palais Rohan in Bordeaux on the evening of Monday 6 July, where both Grand Duke  Guillaume and Minister Roth were welcomed by Mayor of Bordeaux, Thomas Cazenave, and the Prefect of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and Prefect of Gironde, Sophie Brocas.

Following an introduction of the guests in attendance, who included Sylvie Cazes, Honorary Consul of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in Bordeaux, Aziz Skalli, Chief of Staff, Bordeaux City Hall, Vincent Thurmes, Director of Financial Services, Financial Stability and Regulatory Framework for the Financial Centre, Ministry of Finance, Captain Pierre Schroeder, Aide-de-Camp to the Household of the Grand Duke and Alexandra Allen, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Luxembourg in Paris and Jean-François Clédel, Deputy Mayor of Bordeaux, Grand Duke Guillaume formally signed the guest book, officially marking his visit to the city.

There then followed speeches from Mayor Thomas Cazenave and Grand Duke Guillaume in the Palais dining room.

Thomas Cazenave welcomed those in attendance and remarked on the “symbolic and emotional” occasion of the Grand Duke’s visit to witness the striking of his first Euro coin and the relationship shared between Bordeaux and Luxembourg, both economically and culturally.

Grand Duke Guillaume said: “It is a real pleasure to be in Bordeaux, a city where the radiance far exceeds its limits. Its exceptional heritage, its dynamism, its culture of innovation and its openness to the world make it a reference, far beyond France.”

Grand Duke Guillaume concluded his speech with a toast, in which he praised the “friendship and the strength of Luxembourg and Bordeaux”.

On Tuesday 7 July, Grand Duke Guillaume and Minister Roth travelled with the President of the Central Bank of Luxembourg (BCL), Gaston Reinesch, to the Monnaie de Paris mint in Pessac, Bordeaux, to preside over the inaugural minting of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg’s new series of euro coins.

The Monnaie de Paris mint is responsible for the production of Luxembourg's circulating euro coins and the ceremony marked an important milestone both in the reign of the Grand Duke and in the monetary history of the Grand Duchy. The eight new denominations, ranging from one cent to €2, all bear the 2026 minting year and will be gradually introduced into circulation by the Central Bank of Luxembourg from Monday 13 July 2026.

The Grand Duke, Minister Roth and Gaston Reinesch were welcomed at the facility by Marc Schwartz, Chairman and CEO of the Monnaie de Paris, Mehdi El Ouardighi, Sales Director for Circulating Coins at Monnaie de Paris and Fabrice Bonneau, Industrial Director of the Monnaie de Paris, among other guests.

Also in attendance was Italian engraver Chiara Principe, whose artwork was selected to feature on the new coins. Her designs combine the portrait of the Grand Duke with several emblematic elements of Luxembourg's national identity, including the crowned lion and a stylised representation of the national flag.

During the first part of the visit, the Grand Duke, Minister Roth and Gaston Reinesch were shown an exhibition in the foyer of the main building which details the construction of the mint and displays examples of the pieces produced there, which extend beyond coins to include medals, castings and other metalworks created for commemorative purposes.

The visiting party was then guided through the various zones of the large manufacturing complex to observe how the precious and semi-precious metals are prepared and sorted for the production process, as well as each stage of coin production; from the engraving and preparation of the minting tools through to the physical striking of the coins.

The tour concluded with the inaugural striking of the first €2 coin bearing the Grand Duke's effigy, which took place in the presence of employees of the Monnaie de Paris and artist Chiara Principe. Following the striking, Grand Duke Guillaume was presented with the freshly minted coin.

Following the symbolic moment, Minister Roth said: “This ceremony opens a new page of our monetary history.”

Addressing the Grand Duke, he added: “It is a new coin in your effigy, Monsignor. It represents much more than a change in the image. It expresses itself and expresses the continuity of our State and of our nation and of your dynasty…It embodies national unity and our common future within Europe. This is where Europe comes from.”