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Coin World:
Collecting euro coins
Currency offers design variety, commems
posted 12/5/05
By Jeff Stark
Coin World Staff
It has been almost four years since euro currency replaced the various denominations of coinage from 12 nations. Collectors who turned their backs on the new currency for sentimental reasons - it replaced the mark, franc, peseta and other colorful denominations - might want to consider giving euro coins another look.
Those who worried about losing collecting opportunities when the euro currency replaced the various nations' coinage needn't worry. In many cases, collectors have more coins to collect from those nations than ever before.
The euro currency was rolled out Jan. 1, 2002, throughout 12 nations in the European Union, an economic alliance of European nations.
The initial EU member nations using the euro are Austria, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Three nations - Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom - do not use the euro, despite their EU membership.
The euro currency replaced many sentimental favorites, like the centime and franc in Belgium and France, the German mark, the Italian lira, the Portuguese escudo and the Spanish peseta, among others. The coins may be spent anywhere in the participating EU nations, across national borders, without the exchange rates experienced with the old national currencies.
Click on image to enlarge
ALL 15 DESIGNS for 1 coins show the diversity of the euro-issuing nations, with a queen (the Netherlands), a few kings (Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco and Spain) and other famous people or symbols, like the late Pope John Paul II (Vatican City), composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Austria), the Athenian owl of Greece or the Irish harp. Coins provided for photography by Euro Collections International.
Euro circulation coinage is produced in eight denominations - the 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, and 50-cent coins, and the 1 and 2 coins. In the case of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, these eight denominations slid smoothly in, replacing the same number in the previous currency. In the other instances (except for Italy, which had nine denominations that the euro replaced), the euro represents an increase in the number of denominations, from either six or seven to eight, meaning more denominations can be collected now than before the switch.
Common obverse designs bind the euro coinage together. The eight euro coinage denominations share three common obverse designs, created by Belgian designer Luc Luyckx.
The 1-, 2- and 5-cent coins share a design depicting the face value paired with a globe tilted to allow Europe to be visible. The globe represents the role Europe plays in the world as a whole.
The 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins share a design depicting a close-up map of Europe. The map represents European unity with the member states coming together (it shows all of Europe, and therefore includes nonmember states). The final design, a map of Europe standing out from the rest of the globe, appears on 1 and 2 coins. It represents unlimited boundaries and possibilities, a Europe without frontiers.
All coins feature 12 stars in their design.
Production of the coins began several years before their release, to give the governments time to build up the inventories necessary for the replacement of the old coinage. No matter the dates, the governments held the coins in vaults until releasing them in 2002.
The year featured on the coins can date back to 1999, when the currency was formally established, though only on French, Spanish, Belgian, Finnish and Dutch coins. These countries traditionally put the year when the coin is minted on the coin, instead of the year in which the coin is put into circulation. Other governments, while they struck the coins in advance, placed the 2002 date on the coins.
National side
While the pieces share common obverses, each member state maintains its own identity through the reverse, or "national" side of its coins. Each individual country chooses its reverse design.
Austria chose to produce a series of coins illustrating flowers, architecture and famous people from its history. The designs were chosen by a national panel and public opinion poll.
The 1-, 2- and 5-cent coins are part of a series of floral designs. Famous architecture is the theme for Austria's 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins. Legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart appears on the 1 coin, and Bertha von Suttner, a "radical pacifist" (in the words of the European Central Bank), is shown on 2 coins.
The national designs on the Belgian euro coins represent elements of the coins previously in circulation.
A national panel made up of leading Belgian officials, artists and experts in numismatics chose the motif used on all the coins. It depicts King Albert II and a monogram - a capital A below a crown - among 12 stars, symbolizing Europe. The year of issue is part of the design, along with the year the coin was struck.
The contrast between Austria's choices and Belgium's is a perfect illustration of the leeway allowed the euro-issuing nations. Whereas Austria made different designs for each denomination, Belgium used the same design for each. Belgium is not the only nation to do so.
Finland chose three designs based upon motifs similar to those used before on national coins. A heraldic lion appears on the 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins. The heraldic lion in different designs has been used on several Finnish coins over the years, for example on the 1-markka coins between 1964 and 2001. Two flying swans are shown on Finland's 1 coin, and the 2 coin shows cloudberries and cloudberry flowers.
French coins of 1-, 2- and 5-cent denominations show a young, feminine Marianne with determined features, embodying the desire for a sound and lasting Europe.
The theme of the sower is a constant in the history of the French franc. The Sower design on the 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins represents France, "which stays true to itself, whilst integrating into Europe," according to the ECB Web site,
https://www.ecb.int/bc/html/index.en.htmlClick on image to enlarge
FRENCH COMMEMORATIVE COINS have their own special denomoninations, like 1.5 and 20, shown above on a coin marking the 2004 expansion of the European Union, and a 2003 coin celebrating artist Paul Gauguin.
The French 1 and 2 coins depict a tree symbolizing life, continuity and growth. It is contained in a hexagon and is surrounded by the motto of the French Republic, liberte, egalite, fraternite, which translates to "Liberty, equality, fraternity (or brotherhood)."
Germany used three designs for its euro coinage.
The 1-, 2- and 5-cent coins bear an oak twig design, reminiscent of that found on the former German pfennig coins, and the 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins show the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of the division of Germany and its subsequent unification. The design emphasizes the opening of the gate, stressing the unification of Germany and Europe. The 1 and 2 coins show the traditional symbol of German sovereignty, the eagle, surrounded by the stars of Europe.
Greece ties its ancient heritage to its modern life with its euro coinage designs.
The 1-, 2- and 5-cent coins depict ships: respectively, an Athenian trireme, the largest warship for more than 200 years, dating to the fifth century B.C.; a corvette of the type used during the Greek War of Independence (1821 to 1827); and a modern seagoing tanker.
Famous Greek leaders appear on the 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins, while the 1 and 2 coins recall Greece's past, respectively, with an owl copied from an ancient Athenian 4-drachma coin (fifth century B.C.) and a scene from a mosaic in Sparta (third century A.D.) showing Europa being abducted by Zeus, who has taken the form of a bull. Europa is a figure from Greek mythology after whom Europe was named.
The government of Ireland decided on a single national design for all Irish coin denominations. They show the Celtic harp, a traditional symbol of Ireland, decorated with the year of issue and the word EIRE - the Irish word for Ireland. Many of Ireland's past coins also depict the Celtic harp.
A different design was selected for each of Italy's coins, with designs chosen from masterpieces by Italy's famous artists.
The Castel del Monte, located near Italy's east coast, appears on the Italian 1-cent coin, and the Mole Antonelliana, a tower in Turin designed in 1863 by Alessandro Antonelli, appears on Italy's 2-cent coin.
The 5-cent coin shows the Flavius amphitheatre, in Rome, which Emperor Vespasian began building around A.D. 75 and Emperor Titus inaugurated in A.D. 80. The 10-cent coin commemorates one of the greatest triumphs in Italian art. It shows the Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli. A sculpture by Umberto Boccioni, leader of the Italian futurist school, is used for the 20-cent coins, and a statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on horseback appears on the 50-cent coin.
The famous drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, displayed in the gallery of the Academy in Venice, illustrating the ideal proportions of the human body, appears on the 1 coin. A portrait drawn by Raphaλl of Dante Alighieri, housed in the Pope Julius II Wing of the Vatican Palace, is used for the 2 coin.
All the Luxembourg coins bear the profile of Grand Duke Henri. They bear the year of issue and Luxembourg written in the nation's language, as LΛTZEBUERG.
Two different designs of Queen Beatrix are used for coinage from the Netherlands. Twelve stars surround Queen Beatrix's profile, and the legend "Beatrix Queen of the Netherlands" is written in Dutch around the circumference of the 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins, while the 1 and 2 coins show a different profile of the queen, with the same legend in a different place, though the 12 stars are confined to the left side.
Three different designs were chosen from a national competition for the euro coins of Portugal.
Portugal's first royal seal, from 1134, appears on 1-, 2- and 5-cent coins, while the royal seal of 1142 is shown on the 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins.
The country's castles and coats of arms are set amid the European stars on the 1 and 2 coins. This symbolizes dialogue, the exchange of values and the dynamics of the building of Europe, according to the ECB. The design centerpiece is the royal seal of 1144.
Spanish dignitaries and architecture are the themes of Spain's euro coin designs.
The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is pictured on the 1-, 2- and 5-cent coins. The 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins depict Miguel de Cervantes, the father of Spanish literature, reflecting "the universality of the man and his work," the ECB said, while 1 and 2 coins show a portrait of King Juan Carlos I de Borbσn y Borbσn.
Three other European nations use the euro: Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City. You'll see their designs most often on commemorative coins. San Marino and the Vatican use the Italian euro coins for daily transactions.
Monaco's coins honored Prince Rainier III until his death in 2005, whereupon his son Albert succeeded him as Albert II. Pope John Paul II appeared on Vatican City euro coins until Pope Benedict XVI succeeded him, also in 2005.
San Marino's euro coinage designs honor the republic's architecture.
Andorra, Montenegro and Kosovo are areas using the euro without a formal agreement with the EU. The euro is also used in overseas departments, territories and islands that are either part of or associated with euro-issuing member states, most of which are French places like Martinique, Saint Pierre and Miquelon or French Guiana.
Collecting euros
Perhaps the easiest way to collect the euro coins is to buy Uncirculated Mint of Proof sets from the issuing nations, because not every nation issues circulation coins in each denomination. For instance, beginning Sept. 1, 2004, the Netherlands withdrew the 1- and 2-cent coins from circulation. The Dutch had not used low-denomination guilder coins for nearly a decade before the euro coins were introduced, and had no need for similarly low denomination coins under the new system.
In Finland, in October 2000, before the euro was even fully implemented, the government issued a formal statement authorizing rounding of cash payments in euros, eliminating the need for the small coins.
In other areas, like Germany, 1-, 2- and 5-cent coin demand was strong in 2004 because of hoarding of the low-value coins.
Since 2004, euro nations have also had the opportunity - but are not required - to issue circulating commemorative 2 coins. Greece celebrated the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with a circulating coin depicting a discus thrower, and in 2005 Spain marked the 400th anniversary of the first edition of Miguel de Cervantes' The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. Circulating commemoratives can be a small part of your collection, because each nation decides when to issue one, and the number varies each year.
Collectors will also find various euro denominations of noncirculating legal tender commemorative coins. For instance, many euro nations issue commemoratives in 10, 20, 50 and 100 denominations (or a mixture thereof) while France has issued 1.5 commemorative coins and Spain at least one 12 coin.
The number of euro coins will continue to grow in step with the growth of the European Union. On May 1, 2004, another 10 nations acceded to the EU, and several of these are on track to switch to the euro beginning in 2007.
Estonia picked its euro designs in December 2004, and Slovenia selected its designs in October 2005. Latvia, Lithuania and Malta are also on track for euro coinage in 2007. Cyprus is now selecting its designs, which are slated for 2008.
As the EU expands, and nations adopt the euro coinage, collectors have something to look forward to. In the meantime, with at least 96 coins available, there are already plenty of euro coins to start building a collection.
Posted 12/29/2005 04:24 am
