France. Iconic Mystery Author Features on Latest Gold and Silver Proof Coins

The latest collection, which is part of the innovative ‘Art of the Pen’ series launched in 2021, immerses itself in the fascinating world of creativity through literature. For 2026, the theme is dedicated to Agatha Christie, the queen of crime fiction which pays tribute to the writer and her most iconic works. Each coin celebrates the elegance of her imagination and the timeless legacy of her legendary twists and plots. The series is also in remembrance of Christie on the 50th anniversary of her death which occurred in 1976. Renowned for the subtlety of her plots, the richness of her characters and the extreme care she took with details, Agatha Christie captivated millions of readers with her art of twists and turns, red herrings and cleverly concealed clues.

Born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller in the southwest coastal town of Torquay, England in 1890, she was the youngest daughter and third child of Frederick Miller, a wealthy American man and his wife Clara. In 1914 Agatha met and married Archie Christie, and eight years later in 1922 they set sail on a 10-month voyage as part of a trade mission to promote the forthcoming British Empire Exhibition. After several literary failures, her first commercial success The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in 1920, which marked the first appearance of the famous detective Hercule Poirot. In 1926, the publication of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd sold nearly 8000 copies, a considerable number at the time but, this success established her place among the more accomplished names of the genre.

With her marriage to Archie ending in divorce in 1928, Agatha travelled to the Canary Islands with her secretary and daughter Rosalind and finally finished The Mystery of the Blue Train, set on the French Riviera. The autumn of 1928 however was to prove a turning point for the author after a chance meeting at a dinner party that led her to book a journey travelling on her own aboard the legendary Orient Express. Her autobiography described in exquisite detail the sights and sounds of the journey to Syria, while also experiencing a myriad of adventures en route. During the journey which took her to Baghdad, she encountered a husband and wife couple who would introduce her to Max Mallowan, an Archaeologist and the man who would become her second husband.

During Christmas 1931 while travelling back to England alone on the Orient Express, a violent thunderstorm near Istanbul delayed them by two days. Here she closely observed her fellow travellers which inspired her to write one of her most successful works entitled Murder on the Orient Express, published in 1934. The couple were in England during the outbreak of the Second World War at the end of 1939, which also meant Max’s excavations in the Middle East or anywhere for that matter were halted. The couple remained in London but it wasn’t long before Max was sent out to Cairo as a squadron leader in the Directorate of Allied and Foreign Liaison, which left Agatha to volunteer and write. During this time her daughter Rosalind married and the young couple’s baby, their son Matthew was born.  It was during the war years that she penned the last Poirot and Miss Marple novels which weren’t published until 1975 and posthumously in 1977 respectively. It was in 1947 that Christie wrote an original radio play entitled Three Blind Mice, which was a work dedicated to Queen Mary on the occasion of her 80th birthday. This play would be the basis for one of her best known stories which was adapted for stage and opened in London’s west End as The Mousetrap in 1952.

The couple returned to Iraq after the War and divided their time between a small town near Mosul and the capital city of Baghdad. Christie was also enjoying great notoriety and during the 1950’s even in remote places such as the small town of Nimrud, she was eagerly sought out by groups of tourists desperate to get even a glimpse their favourite author. With the revolution of 1958 and the collapse of the Iraqi kingdom, the couple left the country for good in 1960, returning to Winterbrook House, the Oxfordshire estate they bought in 1934. In later life, She endeavoured to publish one or two novels a year, while enjoying her literary fame as the indisputable ‘Queen of Crime’. Christie died in 1976 at the age of 85 years at her home in Oxfordshire and was buried at the nearby churchyard, in a plot she had chosen with her husband 10 years previously. Christie’s husband survived her by two years and was buried alongside her in 1978.

Agatha Christie remains an iconic figure in crime fiction and is still one of the world's most widely read authors. Having sold an estimated 300 million books during her lifetime, her works continue to inspire literature, theatre and cinema. Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time. She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play – The Mousetrap which first opened in 1952 and continues its run in London’s Theatre district. During her lifetime, she was awarded the honour CBE by Queen Elizabeth II and in 1971, she was the recipient of the award Dame of the British Empire – DBE.

Designed by the Monnaie de Paris’ Senior artisan and engraver Joaquin Jimenez, this year’s collection consists of five coins, a 20 Euro silver coin, three silver 10 Euro coins and a 50 Euro gold coin, all highlighting specific elements of her stories and novels.

€10 – Silver. The obverse side of the first coin depicts the unmistakeable Hercule Poirot, recognisable from his emblematic moustache appearing in the foreground. Eyes turned towards the scene behind him and a finger raised in a posture of deduction, the detective holds out a book in front of him. On the cover are the words LE MEURTRE DE ROGER ACKROYD (the Murder of Roger Ackroyd)written in letters formed from daggers, and on the spine is the name AGATHA CHRISTIE. In the background, Roger Ackroyd is shown in profile in an armchair in front of his mansion. His head is bowed. He has a knife stuck in his back. A telephone, a key element in the resolution of the investigation, completes the design. The year 2026 is shown along the lower left rim.

€10  - Silver. The design on the obverse of this second coin immediately references the popular novel. On a carpet surrounded by open books, are the outstretched legs of a woman, one foot bare, as the famous body denotes. In the foreground, Miss Marple, wearing her trademark hat is casting a malicious glance at the scene. In the background, a bookcase full of books frames a door that is slightly ajar, revealing a silhouette whose features cannot be distinguished. In the bookcase, the title  UN CADAVRE DANS LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE (thebodytheLibrary) is cleverly laid out by books on the shelves forming the words. The year 2026 is placed along the lower rim beneath the primary design.

€10 – Silver. On the obverse of this third coin, a steam-powered river cruise boat referenced in Agatha Christie's novel sails down the Nile. The famous waterway is recognisable from the surrounding scenery of palm trees and majestic pyramids in the background. In the water, the name of the novel MORT SUR LE NIL (death on the Nile) creates a rippling wave by the navigation of the boat. On one of the pyramids, the face of Hercule Poirot is seen by his unmistakeable iconic moustache and an Egyptian eye that lends an air of mystery to the scene, as if the detective were watching intently to uncover the secrets hidden by the passengers of the boat. The year 2026 is shown along the lower left rim.

€20 – Silver, €50 - Gold. The obverse of this coin features a three-quarter facing of Agatha Christie placed on the right side and surrounded by references to her iconic works. Her chin is resting on her hand and eyes pensive and deep in thought. The index and middle fingers of the hand on which her head rests are raised in a position that suggests she is holding a revolver while also holding a fountain pen between these two fingers. To her left and below the portrait are references to the novels ‘And Then There Were None’, ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’, ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ and ‘Death on the Nile’. The author's name AGATHA CHRISTIE is placed along the right rim in stylised script and the commemorative years 1890 – 1976 are placed above the primary design. The year of issue 2026 is shown just to the lower left of the image of the river boat sailing down the Nile.

The design on the reverse side is common to the entire series and features several emblematic quotes from prominent writers in their own native language. Such as Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien (The best is the enemy of the good) by Voltaire, Lasciate ogne speranza voi ch'intrate (Leave all hope you who enter) by Dante Alighieri, To be or not to be, that is the question by William Shakespeare and Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker (What does not kill me, makes me stronger) by Nietzsche. A quill pen is depicted in the centre with the denomination and title of the series L'Art de la Plume is shown just to the right. The initials RF are seen below the denomination which represents the issuing country REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE.

Available from the 19th February, each of the €50 gold, €20 and €10 silver proof coins are encapsulated and presented in a single custom case accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. The €20 and three €10 silver coins are also presented as a four-coin set in a custom case to accommodate all coins. For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of the Monnaie de Paris.