The coin, which was designed by Yves Sampo (Monnaie de Paris), Stefanie Lindner (Berlin State Mint), Alina Hoyer (Berlin) and Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (Berlin), depicts stylised portraits of the signatories to the Élysée Treaty (Konrad Adenauer, then Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, and Charles de Gaulle, former President of the French Republic) above their respective signatures on either side of the words “50 ANS JAHRE” and the year “2013” in the centre. The words “TRAITÉ DE L’ÉLYSÉE” and “ÉLYSÉE-VERTRAG” are centred along the top and bottom edge, respectively, of the inner part of the coin. On the right-hand inner edge below the portrait of Adenauer, the inner part also features the mint mark (“A”, “D”, “F”, “G” or “J”, depending on the mint concerned), as well as the letter “D” to denote the issuing country.
The coin’s outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European Union.