€2 commemorative coins

2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Currency

The new reverse side of all €2 coins from 2007/08 onwards.

The old reverse side for €2 coins minted before 2007/08.

€2 commemorative coins are special euro coins minted and issued by member states of the eurozone since 2004 as legal tender in all eurozone member states. The coins typically commemorate the anniversaries of historical events or draw attention to current events of special importance. As of 2008, forty-nine variations of €2 commemorative coins have been minted—six in 2004, eight in 2005, seven in 2006, twenty in 2007 (including the thirteen versions of the common issue) and eight in 2008. At least five more are planned to be minted in 2008, and three more in 2009 (plus a second common issue, with sixteen states to participate, as Slovakia joins the eurozone on 2009- 01-01). €2 commemorative coins have become collectibles. The €2 commemorative coins are not to be confused with commemorative coins (with a face value higher than €2), which are officially designated as "collector coins" and usually made of precious metal.

Regulations and restrictions

The basis for the commemorative coins derived from a decision of the European Council, which repealed the prohibition of changing the national obverse sides of euro coins from 1 January 2004 onwards. However, a number of recommendations and restrictions still apply.

Two restrictions concern the design. For one, nothing has changed about the fact that euro coins have a common reverse side, so only the national obverse sides may be changed. Additionally, the standard national obverse sides per se should not be changed before 2008 at the earliest, unless the head of state depicted on some of the coins changes before then. (This clause already came into effect for Monaco and the Vatican City, whose heads of state— Rainier III and Pope John Paul II respectively—died in 2005 and whose national obverse sides were changed for 2006.) The moratorium on these changes will be reviewed for extension in 2008.

Further regulations restrict the frequency and number of commemorative coin issues. Each member state shall only issue one commemorative coin per year, and it shall only be denominated as a €2 coin. The total number of such coins put into circulation per year should not surpass the higher of the following two numbers:

0.1 per cent of the total number of €2 coins put into circulation by all members of the eurozone. This limit can exceptionally be increased to up to 2.0 per cent if the coin commemorates a very important and noteworthy event; in this case, the member state issuing this higher number of coins should refrain from putting any commemorative coins into circulation for the following four years.
5.0 per cent of the total number of €2 coins put into circulation by the member state issuing the €2 commemorative coin.

Another decision added two more guidelines regarding the design of the coins. The state issuing a coin should in some way clearly be identified on the obverse side, either by stating the full name or a clearly identifiable abbreviation of it; and neither name nor the denomination of the coin should be repeated on the obverse, as it is already featured on the common reverse side.

These restrictions do not apply retroactively; only new designs—the national obverse sides for regular issues of states newly joining the euro or of eurozone states which change their design, and €2 commemorative coins issued from 2006 onwards—are subject to them. However, the five countries whose designs violated the rules (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany and Greece) will have to change their design in the near future, which Finland already did for 2007 and Belgium for 2008.

Issues

has issued €2 commem. coins has not yet indep. issued €2 commem. coins not part of the eurozone

As of May 2008, fourteen countries have independently issued €2 commemorative coins (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain and the Vatican City), with Greece being the first country to issue this type of coin. Four eurozone countries have not yet independently issued such coins (Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the Netherlands); Cyprus and Malta plan to do so in 2008, and there has also been common Treaty of Rome €2 commemorative coin issued by all eurozone member states in 2007. (Another one is planned for 2009.)

Country

Issues

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

reg.

ToR

reg.

euro

Austria

2/1

Belgium

4/1

Cyprus

0/2

Finland

5/2

France

2/1

Germany

4/2

Greece

2/1

Ireland

1/1

Italy

5/1

Luxembourg

6/2

Malta

0/2

Monaco

1/1

1/1

3/1

5/0

0/2

2/1

Spain

2/1

Vatican City

4/1

Total

49/24

8/5

0/3

0/16

Y – yes	not yet part of the eurozone
no	S – scheduled

The face value of the coins is typically less than their market value of between €3 and €12. The exceptions are San Marino and the Vatican City, where coins from the former are regularly sold for between €30 and €40, while coins from the latter are very rarely obtained for less than €100.

Issued designs are made public in the Official Journal of the European Union (references to these publications are given in the tables below).

Note: In heraldry, directions are often described as they would appear to the bearer of a coat of arms, rather than as they would appear to the viewer. Therefore, the following descriptions will use "facing to the left" when it would appear to the layman that the person depicted is facing to the right.

2004 coinage

Country	Feature	Volume	Date
Greece	Summer Olympics in Athens 2004	50 million coins	14 March 2004
Description: The Discobolus (a classical Greek sculpture by Myron) is depicted in the centre of the coin. To the right of it is the logo of the Olympic games (ATHENS 2004) and the five Olympic Rings, while to the left the denomination of the coin in Greek is given (2 ΕΥΡΩ). The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design. The year mark is split around the star in the bottom centre (2004*), and the mint mark is to the upper right of the statue's head.

Finland	Fifth Enlargement of the European Union in 2004	1 million coins	FDI: 1 June 2004 FDC: 1 July 2004
Description: The coin's design resembles a stylised pillar from which ten sprouts grow upwards. This is a metaphorical theme: The ten sprouts represent the growth of the European Union (i.e., the 2004 enlargement which added ten new member states), while the pillar represents the foundation for the growth. Near the bottom of the coin, below the pillar, the word EU is written, and together with the left side of the pillar, representing the Greek small letter "ρ" (rho), it reads "euro". The twelve stars of the European Union adorn the outer ring together with the year mark, which is at the top of the ring.

Luxembourg	Effigy and Monogram of Grand Duke Henri	2.49 million coins	23 June 2004
Description: On the right side of the centre part of the coin, the effigy of Grand Duke Henri is depicted, looking to the left. The left side displays his monogram (the letter H topped with a crown). The twelve stars of the European Union are also on the left side of the inner part, surrounding the monogram in a semi-circular form. The year mark, the mint mark and the engraver's initials are written in circular shape at the top of the outer ring, together with the word LËTZEBUERG ("Luxembourg" in Luxembourgish), while the words HENRI – Grand-Duc de Luxembourg appear at the bottom of the ring.

Italy	Fifth Decade of the World Food Programme	16 million coins	15 December 2004
Description: In the centre of the coin is a globe, tilted to the left. Three ears emerge from behind the globe, reaching out to cross the outer ring; these are maize, rice and wheat, representing the world's basic sources of nourishment. The letters R and I, superimposed over one another, are to the left of the globe (representing Repubblica Italiana), and below them are the engraver's ( Uliana Pernazza) initials (a combination of the letters U and P). The mint mark (R) is to the upper right of the globe, the year mark is below it, and the twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring, grouped into three batches of four stars each, separated by the three ears.

San Marino	Bartolomeo Borghesi	110,000 coins	15 December 2004
Description: The central piece of this coin is a bust of the famous historian and numismatist Bartolomeo Borghesi. It is surrounded by numerous inscriptions in the centre of the coin: SAN MARINO to the left of the bust, BARTOLOMEO BORGHESI, the mint mark (R) and the engraver's initials (E.L.F.) to the right of it. On the outer ring, the coin displays the twelve stars of the European Union and the year mark (bottom centre).

Vatican City	75^th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Vatican City State	85,000 coins	15 December 2004
Description: The central part of the coin depicts a schematic representation of the perimeter walls of the Vatican City with St. Peter's Basilica in the foreground, together with the inscriptions 75^o ANNO DELLO STATO (to the right), 1929–2004 and the mint mark (R) (both to the left). In addition to these, the name of the designer (VEROI) and the initials of the engraver (L.D.S. INC.) are written in the lower left in smaller print. The outer ring is adorned by the twelve stars of the European Union and the inscription CITTÀ DEL VATICANO.

2005 coinage

Country	Feature	Volume	Date
Luxembourg	50^th Birthday of Grand Duke Henri, 5^th Anniversary of his Accession to the Throne and 100^th Anniversary of the Death of Grand Duke Adolphe	2.8 million coins	15 January 2005
Description: In the centre of the coin, the effigies of the Grand Dukes Henri and Adolphe are displayed, both looking to the left, with Henri's superimposed on Adolphe's. The inscription GRANDS-DUCS DE LUXEMBOURG appears above the effigies, while the inscriptions HENRI 1955* and ADOLPHE †1905 are written below the respective effigies. The outer ring of the coin contains the twelve stars of the European Union, placed between the letters of the word LËTZEBUERG and the year mark, which is centred below the effigies positioned between S (for Suomi) on the right and the mint mark on the left.

Belgium	Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union	6 million coins	FDI: March 1, 2005 FDC: April 1, 2005
Description: In the centre of the coin, the effigies of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and King Albert II of the Belgians are depicted, looking right. The engraver's initials (LL) are in the lower left, while the year mark is below the effigies. On the outer circle, the twelve stars of the European Union are displayed, along with the mint mark on the bottom, the monogram of Grand-Duke Henri to the right and the monogram of King Albert II to the left.

Spain	4^th Centenary of the first edition of Miguel de Cervantes' El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha	8 million coins	1 April 2005
Description: The centre of the coin displays Don Quixote holding a lance, with the windmills from one of his most well-known escapades in the background. The inscription ESPAÑA is impressed into the surface of the coin to the right of the image, with the mint mark (an M topped by a crown) below. The twelve stars of the European Union are placed on the outer ring, with the four on the left side impressed into the surface of the coin, as well, and the year mark placed between three of the stars (2005*) at the bottom.

Austria	50^th Anniversary of the Austrian State Treaty	7 million coins	11 May 2005
Description: In the centre of the coin is a depiction of the seals and signatures of the Austrian State Treaty, signed by the foreign ministers of the Allied occupying forces ( Vyacheslav Molotov for the Soviet Union, John Foster Dulles for the United States, Harold Macmillan for the United Kingdom and Antoine Pinay for France), the High Commissioners of the four sectors, as well as the Foreign Minister of Austria ( Leopold Figl) on 15 May 1955. The inscription 50 JAHRE STAATSVERTRAG is above the seals, while the year mark is below it; in the background, vertical stripes serve as a heraldic depiction of Austria's national flag ( red- white-red). The outer ring contains the twelve stars of the European Union.

San Marino	World Year of Physics 2005	130,000 coins	14 October 2005
Description: The centre of the coin contains a free interpretation of the allegorical painting of Galileo Galilei known as La fisica antica or The Study of the Planets. The year mark is inscribed below a globe standing on a desk. The mint mark (R) is to the right of the image, while the engraver’s initials (LDS) appear on the left. The inscription SAN MARINO is aligned in a semicircle above the image, while the inscription ANNO MONDIALE DELLA FISICA forms another semicircle below it. The outer ring bears the twelve stars of the European Union which are separated by the outer edges of a stylised atom depicted in the background of the entire coin.

Finland	60^th Anniversary of the Establishment of the United Nations and 50^th Anniversary of Finland's UN Membership	2 million coins	25 October 2005
Description: The centre of the coin contains part of a jigsaw puzzle showing a dove of peace. On the bottom of the centre part, the inscription FINLAND – UN and the year mark is displayed; the artist's initial (K) appears above the last digit of the year mark, while the mint mark (M) is between the inscription and the dove. The twelve stars of the European Union adorn the outer ring.

Italy	1^st Anniversary of the Signing of the European Constitution	18 million coins	29 October 2005
Description: The centre of the coin features Europa and the bull (Zeus), together with the European Constitution; Europa is holding a pen over it, symbolising its signing. The mint mark (R) is to the upper right of the image, the engraver's ( Maria Carmela Colaneri) initials (MCC) to the lower right, and the year mark is to the upper left. The monogram of the Italian Republic (RI) is at the bottom of the centre part, slightly to the right. The outer ring features the inscription COSTITUZIONE EUROPEA, forming almost a full semicircle, while the remainder of the outer ring is taken up by the twelve stars of the European Union.

Vatican City	20^th World Youth Day, held in Cologne in August 2005	100,000 coins	6 December 2005
Description: The centre of the coin contains the Cologne Cathedral and a comet passing by above it. The inscription XX GIORNATA MONDIALE DELLA GIOVENTÙ is written in the upper part of the centre, separated by the tail of the comet and two of the cathedral's spires, one of which extends into the outer ring. The outer ring contains the inscription CITTÀ DEL VATICANO in the lower half and the twelve stars of the European Union in the upper half, with the year mark and the mint mark (R) separating them in the top centre.

2006 coinage

Country	Feature	Volume	Date
Italy	Winter Olympics in Turin 2006	40 million coins	FDI: 10 January 2006 FDC: 10 February 2006
Description: The coin depicts a racing skier and the visitor attraction of Turin, the Mole Antonelliana (which incidentally is also depicted on the Italian 2 cent coin), together with a large number of inscriptions: above the skier's head, GIOCHI INVERNALI ("Winter Games"); below the tower, the name of the host city TORINO; beside the skier's left thigh, the engraver's initials (MCC); also to the left of the skier, the year mark (written vertically); and finally, to the left of the tower, the monogram of the Italian Republic (RI) and the mint mark (R). The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring of the coin.

Luxembourg	25^th Birthday of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume	1.1 million coins	11 January 2006
Description: The coin depicts the effigy of Grand Duke Henri on the left side of the inner part, superimposed on the effigy of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume on the right side; both are looking to the left. The year mark appears below the effigies, flanked by the letter S and the mint mark. The inscription LËTZEBUERG appears above the effigies along the upper edge of the inner part of the coin. The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring of the coin.

Germany	Holstentor in Lübeck ( Schleswig-Holstein) First of the Bundesländer series	30 million coins	3 February 2006
Description: The coin shows the Holstentor in Lübeck in the centre part, with the inscription SCHLESWIG–HOLSTEIN below the gate at the bottom of the centre part. The mint mark is to the right, while the designer's initials (HH) are to the left. The inscription BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND is written in a semicircle in the lower part of the outer ring, and the year mark at the top; the twelve stars of the European Union are positioned between the year mark and the inscription at the bottom, in two groups of six stars each.

Belgium	Renovation of the Atomium in Brussels	5 million coins	10 April 2006
Description: The coin shows the Atomium in the centre part, with the mint marks to the lower left and right of it. The designer's initials (LL) are to the right. The letter B for Belgium is written at the top of the outer ring, and the year mark at the bottom; the twelve stars of the European Union are positioned between the year mark and the inscription at the top, in two groups of six stars each.

Finland	1^st Centenary of the