Tell Me About Euros!

Link to the European Central Bank

http://www.ecb.int/bc/coins/nationa...ndex.en.html

Careful adobero, C64's always looking out for someone new to get hooked on the Euros! Believe me, I have the album to prove it! Not that I'm complaining (far from it!), these are some of the coolest coins around, but my Morgans have been feeling neglected...

Rachel [:p]

In 1991 they changed to box and certificate of authenticity and only 4000 shown is number 2520

Hello
The Euro officially started at 1.1.1999 in 11 countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain). At that time the exchange course between the Euro and the national currencies was fixed and the Euro
was introduced at the money market. However the coins and banknotes of the old national currencies were still in use. Many of the Euro member states started producing their Euro coins in 1999.
At 1.1.2001 Greece joined the Euro.
At 1.1.2002 the Euro coins and banknotes were introduced. Then there was a short period of time (in Austria 3 months) where you could pay with Euro or old currency. The Schilling coins and banknotes ceased to be legal tender on 28.02.2002 but you can still change the latest issues into Euro at the Austrian national bank (Oesterreichische Nationalbank) and they have no expiring date. This also includes Austrias commemorative silver (25, 50, 100, 500) coins.
There are also older Schilling banknotes which can still be changed but do have and expiring date. Here you find exact information about the exchange:

http://www.oenb.at/en/rund_ums_geld...for_euro.jsp

I don't the situation about the coins and banknotes in the other Euro member states.

1996 only 2400

In the 50 ECU I am still looking for 1998

Yes that is why I am stopping my collection at 50 ecu
and at the year 1998 which is the last ecu year

I started buying some French euro coinage but they have since made a deal with a U.S. dealer and eliminated their English web site where I could buy direct so now, unless I find a French collector to help me out, I must pay dealer inflated rates here in the U.S. which I will NOT do so not very many French euro commemoratives headed my way. I do like the fact that most French commemoratives are only 10,000 issued world wide but don't like the fact they make nearly 90 different coins a year. (I suppose they still are?) They do have some fabulous designs and have actually beaten the United States to some of our own historical tributes in the last 4 years. Would like to have the French coin commemorating Benjamin Franklin if possible but not real sure of the release date at this time. May be too late already!