La Monnaie de Paris and Lacoste: an ode to excellence

Coins are not only minted for currency – they can also be designed as collector’s items! 

To mark Lacoste’s 90th anniversary, La Monnaie de Paris has decided to celebrate the crocodile brand with a unique and exclusive collection of coins, designed to showcase French excellence! Roland-Garros seized this golden opportunity to join the celebration, so let’s find out more…

Lacoste’s heritage

2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the long-running collaboration between Lacoste and Roland-Garros, celebrating fifty years of fashion revolutions both on and off the courts. For more than fifty years, the tournament’s exclusive textile partner has been a firm favourite with spectators. 

Lacoste’s story in brief: Nicknamed “The Crocodile”, René Lacoste was one of France’s “Mousquetaires” – along with Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon and Henri Cochet – a legendary foursome of French tennis heroes from the 1920s. Though linked with all sports, Lacoste holds a special place in its heart for tennis. Roland-Garros, where The Crocodile first wore his famous polo shirt, is a prestigious sporting event that enables the brand to strengthen its ties with its original audience. 

Lacoste x Roland-Garros use their collections to bring colour onto the courts, stands and stadium grounds. Their looks are a clever blend of elegance, sportswear and athleisure. Roland-Garros and Lacoste marry sport with French expertise and elegance. For more than fifty years, this iconic collaboration has delved into tennis heritage to nurture its love of authenticity. 

Lacoste is celebrating its 90th birthday

1933 – 2023. In 90 years, everything has changed, and yet the Lacoste brand has not aged a bit! 2023 marks the 90thanniversary of this iconic brand, a symbol of French expertise, as well as its legendary polo shirt! The famous Lacoste L.12.12 polo shirt is made from petit piqué cotton with a ribbed collar and short sleeves. 

This anniversary was the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to this legendary, intergenerational and multicultural brand, so La Monnaie de Paris decided to design a collection of exceptional signature coins. A gold coin in the shape of a crocodile embodies the brand’s DNA and rich history and is presented in a custom-made box. Another series of coins (made from gold and silver) in the shape of a racquet pays tribute to René Lacoste himself. Finally, a series of round coins (gold and silver) depicts the codes and symbols connected with the brand’s heritage.

A coin toss with precious metals

If all of Lacoste’s heritage and all of Roland-Garros’ prestige were brought together in one coin, what would it look like? 

To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the crocodile brand, Roland-Garros has joined in the celebration and invited La Monnaie de Paris to mint a round 10-euro silver coin that will be used for the coin tosses at the 2023 tournament.  

Made in a limited-edition collector series of 1,933 coins, these high-quality proof coins will be on sale in the stadium’s boutiques during the tournament.