The Monnaie de Paris can thank Harry Potter and Napoleon

Monnaie de Paris, the institution that manufactures French coins, returned to profitability in 2021 thanks to the diversification of its activities, in particular the publication of thematic coins around real or fictional characters such as Napoleon or Harry Potter. , she announced on Wednesday.

The company generated a net profit of 4.5 million euros last year, after four years of losses or barely breaking even results. And we achieved our best turnover since 2012 in an environment that was not favorable, 146.2 million euros, congratulated AFP to its CEO Marc Schwartz.

The Monnaie de Paris has indeed suffered for several years from a drop in orders from the State: in 10 years, they have been halved, cash being used less and less in favor of other means of payment. , such as contactless or smartphone applications. The pandemic has also affected its income: with the drop in tourism and health restrictions, sales of souvenir medals at cultural venues have dropped, as have visits to the institution’s Parisian museum, in the 6th arrondissement.

Harry Potter bestseller

It was necessary to broaden the clientele by changing the themes and developing online sales, explains Mr. Schwartz, who will end his mandate on April 7th. In 2021, pieces in the shape of a cocked hat were launched for the bicentenary of Napoleon’s death, then a partnership with Dior, with a one-kilogram gold piece priced at 145,000 euros.

The best-selling collection is that on the theme of Harry Potter, with engraved pieces of the hero and medals bearing the image of his owl Hedwig, also sold in supermarkets and in toy stores. The collections thus represented more than half of the institution’s turnover.

The establishment could this year suffer from the rise in the price of raw materials, driven by the war in Ukraine. Unless it takes advantage of the safe haven status of its parts. Since the outbreak of the war, our sales of gold collectibles have increased by 10%, assures the leader.