2 euro commemorative coins
€2 commemorative coins are a special kind of €2 coin that can be minted and issued by the individual member states of the Eurozone since 2004. While they are legal tender in the whole Eurozone, they are also collectibles. Typically, they commemorate anniversaries of historical events or draw attention to current events of special importance. Up to now, fourteen €2 commemorative coins have been minted — six in 2004 and eight in 2005. Seven more are currently planned to be minted in 2006.
Regulations and restrictions
The basis for this possibility is formed by a decision of the European Council, which repealed the prohibition of changing the national obverse sides of euro coins from 1 January 2004 onwards.[1] However, a number of recommendations and restrictions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 dies 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.)
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 shouldn't 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 noticeable 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[2] 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.
Issues
Up to now (as of January 2006), nine countries have issued €2 commemorative coins (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, San Marino, Spain and the Vatican City), with Greece being the first country to issue this type of coin. Six eurozone countries have not issued such coins yet (France, Germany, Ireland, Monaco, the Netherlands and Portugal), although France and Germany have issues planned for 2006.
Typically, the actual worth of these coins is slightly above the nominal value (between €3 and €12). The extreme cases are San Marino and the Vatican City: Coins from the former are sold regularily for between €30 and €40, while it is nigh impossible to obtain coins from the latter for under €100.
Issued designs are made public in the Official Journal of the European Union (references to these publications are given in the tables below).
2004 coinage
| Image | Country | Design | Volume | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finland | Fifth Enlargement of the European Union in 2004 | 1 million coins | July 2004 | |
| Description: The coin's design resembles a stylized 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, while the twelve stars of the European Union adorn the outer ring together with the year mark, which is at the top of the ring.[3] | ||||
| Greece | Olympic Games in Athens 2004 | 50 million coins | 14 May 2004 | |
| Description: The discobolus (a classical sculpure) is depicted in the centre of the coin. To the left of it is the logo of the Olympic games (ATHENS 2004) and the five Olympic Rings, while to the right 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 (20*04), and the mint mark is to the upper left of the statue's head.[4] | ||||
| Italy | Fifth Decade of the World Food Programme | 16 million coins | 13 December 2004 | |
| Description: In the centre of the coin is a globe, tilted to the right. 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 right 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 left 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.[5] | ||||
| Luxembourg | Effigy and Monogram of Grand Duke Henri | 2.49 million coins | 27 July 2004 | |
| Description: On the left side of the centre part of the coin, the effigy of Grand Duke Henri is depicted (looking to the right), while the right side displays his monogram (the letter H topped with a crown). The twelve stars of the European Union are also on the right 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.[6] | ||||
| San Marino | Bartolomeo Borghesi | 110,000 coins | 16 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 right of the bust, BARTOLOMEO BORGHESI, the mint mark (R) and the engraver's initials (E.L.F.) to the left of it. On the outer ring, the coin displays the twelve stars of the European Union and the year mark (bottom centre).[7] | ||||
| Vatican City | 75th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Vatican City State | 85,000 coins | 16 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 inscriptions 75o ANNO DELLO STATO (to the left), 1929–2004 and the mint mark (R) (both to the right). 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 right in smaller print. The outer ring is adorned by the twelve stars of the European Union and the inscription CITTÀ DEL VATICANO.[8] | ||||
2005 coinage
| Image | Country | Design | Volume | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 50th 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.[9] | ||||
| Belgium | Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union | 6 million coins | 25 May 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 left and the monogram of King Albert II to the right.[10] | ||||
| Finland | 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of the United Nations and 50th Anniversary of Finland's UN Membership | 2 million coins | 24 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 engraver'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.[11] | ||||
| Italy | 1st 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, symbolizing its signing. The mint mark (R) is to the upper left of the image, the engraver's (Maria Carmela Colaneri) initials (MCC) to the lower left, and the year mark is to the upper right. The monogram of the Italian Republic (RI) is at the bottom of the centre part, slightly to the left. 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.[12] | ||||
| Luxembourg | 50th Birthday of Grand Duke Henri, 5th Anniversary of his Accession to the Throne and 100th Anniversary of the Death of Grand Duke Adolphe | 2.8 million coins | 15 February 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 effegies. 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 the engraver's initial (S) on the left and the mint mark on the right.[13] | ||||
| 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 left of the image is, while the engraver’s initials (LDS) appear on the right. The inscription SAN MARINO are 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.[14] | ||||
| Spain | 4th Centenary of the first edition of Miguel de Cervantes' El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha | 8 million coins | 30 June 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 left 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 right side impressed into the surface of the coin, as well, and the year mark placed between three of the stars (*20*05*) at the bottom.[15] | ||||
| Vatican City | 20th 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.[16] | ||||
2006 coinage
While no €2 commemorative coins have been released in 2006 as of 9 January 2006, seven states have announced they will do so over the course of the year. Belgium will issue a coin commemorating the ending of the renovation of the Atomium in Brussels in May 2006.[17] France will issue its first €2 commemorative coin in October 2006, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty.[18] Germany is going to issue the first of sixteen coins in the Bundesländer series, depicting the Holstentor in Lübeck for Schleswig Holstein on 3 February 2006.[19] Italy will issue a coin commemorating the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.[20] Luxembourg will celebrate the 25th birthday of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume with a coin to be issued on 3 February 2006.[21] San Marino will issue a coin in October 2006; the design is not known yet.[22] Finally, the Vatican City is going to issue a coin commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Swiss Guard.[23]
German Bundesländer series
Germany will start the commemorative coin series Die 16 Bundesländer der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ("The 16 States of the Federal Republic of Germany") in 2006, which will continue until 2021. The year in which the coin for a specific state is issued coincides with that state's Presidency of the Bundesrat.[24] The first coin will be issued this year:
| Year | Number | State | Design |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | File:Dienstflagge Schleswig-Holstein.svg Schleswig-Holstein | Holstentor in Lübeck |
The other fifteen coins will be issued in the following years; note that some designs are not yet finalized and still subject to change.
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See also
References
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- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "Belgien – Gedenkmünze 2006". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "Deutschland – Gedenkmünze 2006". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "Frankreich". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "Italien". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "Luxemburg – Gedenkmünze 2006". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "San Marino". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "Vatikan". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- ^ Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "Deutschland". Retrieved 11 January 2006.
- European Central Bank (2005)."€2 commemorative coins". Retrieved 10 January 2006.
- Kröll, Ulrich (2006). Template:De icon "2-euro.net". Retrieved 10 January 2006.