Before the introduction of the euro, the current eurozone members issued their own individual national coinage, most of which featured mint marks, privy marks and/or mint master marks. These marks have been continued as a part of the national designs of the euro coins, as well. This article serves to list the information about the various types of identifying marks on euro coins, including engraver and designer initials and the unique edge inscriptions found on the €2 coins.
Since the euro was officially introduced in 1999, most of the EMU member countries began producing their coins ahead of the 2002 introduction date. There is individual national legislation in place which governs the mintage of coins issued from each country. These coinage acts regulate the coin production parameters for each country.
The coinage acts of countries with a mintage date stipulation specify that the year the coin is minted, regardless of when the coins are issued, should appear on each coin. Belgium, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Spain have mintage date stipulations.
The coinage acts of countries with an issue date stipulation specify that the year the coin is issued, regardless of when the coins are minted, should appear on each coin. Austria, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, San Marino and the Vatican City have issue date stipulations.
Since the euro was first issued in 2002, the countries which have an issue date stipulation are all dated 2002 onward, even though these coins were minted in previous years to prepare for the adoption of the euro. As a result, there are no euro coins dated 1999, 2000 and 2001 issued from countries with an issue date stipulation.
Luxembourg has no domestic mint, so their coins are minted elsewhere. Regardless of the mintage location of these coins, the issue date stipulation in their coinage act must be followed by whichever country mints their coins and the date stamp is therefore applied accordingly.
Since Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City do not have their own coinage acts, the date stamp is applied in accordance with the coinage act of whichever country mints these coins. France produces the euro coins for Monaco and follows the mintage date stipulation; it began minting Monégasque euro coins only in 2001, since the mintage quantities were so low. Sammarinese and Vatican euro coins are minted in Italy and follow the issue date stipulation.
As per a recommendation defined by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of the European Union, [1] the national designs of each member's euro coin should contain a national identification in the form of spelling or abbreviation of the country's name. Of the fifteen members of the Eurozone at the time these recommendations were made, five national designs—those of Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany and Greece—did not meet the criteria outlined. Of these five, two (Finland in 2007 and Belgium in 2008) have changed or amended their design to follow these recommendations, and the other three are expected to follow suit in the coming years.
Country | Type | Description | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Andorra | Text | ANDORRA | |
Austria | Text | REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH (only on commemorative €2 issues since 2007) | |
Symbol | Flag of Austria. The red is indicated by vertical hatching, as is traditionally done in heraldic illustration. | ||
Belgium [2] | Text | BELGIE-BELGIQUE-BELGIEN | |
Symbol | Monogram of King Albert II | ||
Symbol | Monogram of King Philippe | ||
Abbreviation | B (€2 commemorative coin 2006) | ||
Abbreviation | BE (België/Belgique/Belgien in Dutch, French and German) [3] | ||
Croatia | Text | HRVATSKA | |
Symbol | Croatian checkerboard | ||
Cyprus | Text | ΚΥΠΡΟΣ/KIBRIS (in both Greek and Turkish) | |
Estonia | Text | EESTI (Estonia) | |
Finland | Abbreviation | FI (Finland) [4] | |
France | Text | RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (French Republic in French) | |
Abbreviation | stylised RF (République française) | ||
Germany | Text | BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND (Federal Republic of Germany in German) (only on commemorative €2 issues until 2009 and commemorative €2 commonly issued coins until 2015) | |
Abbreviation | D (only on commemorative €2 issues since 2010 (except commemorative €2 commonly issued coins from 2012 and 2015), not to be confused with Munich mint mark "D" on standard-issue designs of all denominations) | ||
Symbol | Depiction of the Bundesadler (Federal Eagle) (only on standard-issue €1 and €2 designs) | ||
Greece [5] | Text | ΕΥΡΩΠΗ (EUROPA) 2 EYPΩ (Euro) | |
Edge Lettering | ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ (Hellenic Republic in Greek) (only on commemorative €2 issues since 2007) | ||
Ireland | Text / Symbol | éire (in Gaelic type) | Harp |
Italy | Text | REPUBBLICA ITALIANA (Italian Republic in Italian) | |
Abbreviation | stylised RI (Repubblica Italiana) | ||
Latvia | Text | LATVIJA | |
Symbol | LV (€2 commemorative coin 2014-2015) | ||
Lithuania | Text | LIETUVA | |
Luxembourg | Text | LËTZEBUERG (Luxembourg in Luxembourgish) | |
Text | LUXEMBOURG (Luxembourg in French) | ||
Symbol | monogram of Grand Duke Henri (€2 commemorative coin 2005) | ||
Symbol | lion (€2 commemorative coin 2018 and onwards) | ||
Malta | Text | MALTA | |
Monaco | Text | MONACO | |
Netherlands | Text | WILLEM-ALEXANDER KONING DER NEDERLANDEN (Willem Alexander, King of the Netherlands) | |
Text | BEATRIX KONINGIN DER NEDERLANDEN (Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands) | ||
Text | NEDERLAND (€2 commemorative coin 2009, 2012, 2015) | ||
Text | KONINKRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN (€2 commemorative coin 2007) | ||
Portugal | Text | PORTUGAL | |
San Marino | Text | SAN MARINO | |
Slovakia | Text | SLOVENSKO | |
Slovenia | Text | SLOVENIJA | |
Spain | Text | ESPAÑA | |
Vatican City | Text | CITTÀ DEL VATICANO (Vatican City) |
The use of mint marks on euro coins takes one of these three forms:
Country | Mint location | Mint mark | Mint mark description | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium (2005-2017) | Brussels | Head of archangel St. Michael, patron saint of Brussels. | Prior to 2008, Belgian mark had only been used on commemorative issues. Since 2008, the mark is used on both standard issue and commemorative issue coins. | |
Belgium (2018–present) | Utrecht, Netherlands | Mercury's wand, the logo of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) | ||
Finland | Vantaa | [4] | Logo of the Rahapaja Oy mint | The Cornucopian logo was used until 2010. Since 2011, the logo is a heraldic lion. |
France | Pessac | Cornucopia, Different of the Monnaie de Paris [6] | ||
Germany | German Euro coins are minted at 5 locations in Germany | A, D, F, G, J | Letters | A for Berlin, D for Munich, F for Stuttgart, G for Karlsruhe, J for Hamburg, while B, C, E and H used to be mint locations that had been closed prior to the introduction of the euro. |
Greece (2002) | Madrid, Spain Pessac, France Vantaa, Finland Athens | E (20c), F (1c, 2c, 5c, 10c and 50c), S [7] (€1 and €2) | Letters | E for Spain (España), F for France, S for Finland (Suomi). The initial supply of Greek euro coins were produced at three locations, in addition to the Athens mint, due to their late entry into the European Monetary Union (EMU) just before the introduction date on 1 January 2002; only certain denominations of Greek coins with the date stamp of "2002" have these mint marks. Greek euro coins dated 2002 without these mint marks were produced in Athens, Greece. All Greek euro coins bear the standard Greek mint mark symbol of the Athens mint. |
Greece (2002–present) | Athens | Stylised acanthus leaf | ||
Italy | Rome | R | Letter | |
Lithuania | Vilnius | Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuanian Mint House, LMK) logo | ||
Luxembourg (2002–2004) | Utrecht, Netherlands | Mercury's wand, the logo of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) | ||
Luxembourg (2005–2006) | Vantaa, Finland | S, [7] | Letter, logo of the (Suomen) Rahapaja Oy mint | |
Luxembourg (2007–2008) | Pessac, France | F, | Letter, Cornucopia, Different of the Monnaie de Paris [6] | |
Luxembourg (2009–present) | Utrecht, Netherlands | Mercury's wand, the logo of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) | ||
Malta (2008, 2016–present) | Paris, France | F | Letter | |
Malta (2009) | Utrecht, Netherlands | Mercury's wand, the logo of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) | There were no standard issue coins in 2009, only one commemorative coin. | |
Monaco | Pessac, France | Cornucopia, Different of the Monnaie de Paris [6] (Paris Mint) | ||
Netherlands | Utrecht | Mercury's wand, the logo of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) | ||
Poland | Warsaw | Mennica Polska (Polish Mint) logo | Poland is not yet part of the Eurozone. When the euro is introduced, this is the mintmark which will be used. The Polish Mint logo is the letter M on top of the letter W and comes from Mennica Warszawa or Warsaw Mint | |
Portugal (2007–present) | Lisbon | INCM | Imprensa Nacional – Casa de Moeda (National Currency – Mint House) abbreviation | |
Portugal (2020–present) | Lisbon | CASA DA MOEDA | Mint House text | This mark is only been used on commemorative issues. |
San Marino | Rome, Italy | R | Letter | |
Slovakia | Kremnica | Mincovňa Kremnica (Kremnican Mint, MK) logo | ||
Slovenia (2007) | Vantaa, Finland | Fi [7] | Abbreviation | |
Slovenia (2008) | Utrecht, Netherlands | Mercury's wand, the logo of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) | ||
Spain | Madrid | Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (National Factory of Currency and Stamps) logo | ||
Vatican | Rome, Italy | R | Letter |
Mint master marks or privy marks are symbols representing directors, chief engravers or chief executive officers of mints.
The directors of the Monnaie Royale de Belgique/Koninklijke Munt van België (Royal Belgian Mint) in Brussels uses mint master's marks on all €2 commemorative coins and on all Belgian euro coins with a datestamp from 2008 onwards minted at this location.
Mark | Mark description | Name of mint master | Coin dates |
---|---|---|---|
Scale | Romain Coenen | 1999–2009 (€2 commemorative coins) 2008–2009 (standard issue euro coins) | |
[8] | Quill | Serge Lesens | 2009-2012 (€2 commemorative coins) 2010–2012 (standard issue euro coins) |
[9] | Cat | Bernard Gillard | 2012-2016 (Commemorative coins) 2013-2016 (standard issue euro coins) |
[10] | Coat of arms of Herzele | Ingrid van Herzele | 2017–2022 |
[11] | Aster and Erlenmeyer flask | Giovanni Van de Velde | 2023–present |
The director of the Rahapaja Oy (Mint of Finland, LTD.) mint in Helsinki-Vantaa used a mint master's mark on Finnish euro coins minted at this location with the date stamp between 1999 and 2006.
Mark | Mark description | Name of mint master | Coin dates |
---|---|---|---|
M | Letter | Raimo Makkonen | 1999–2006 |
The directors of Monnaie de Paris in Pessac use mint master's marks on all French euro coins minted at this location.
Mark | Mark description | Name of mint master | Coin dates |
---|---|---|---|
Bee | Pierre Rodier | 1999–2000 | |
Horseshoe | Gérard Buquoy | 2001–2002 | |
Stylised heart with the initials of the mint master | Serge Levet | 2003 | |
[6] | Hunting horn, a wave and a fish | Hubert Larivière | 2004–2010 |
[12] | Pentagon with letters AG, MP and YS | Yves Sampo | 2011–2020 |
[13] | Square with letters JJ | Joaquin Jimenez | 2021–present |
Luxembourg euro coins dated 2002 were minted in the Netherlands in 2000 and thus bear the mint master mark of E. J. van Schauwenburg, Temporary Director of the Utrecht Mint during the year of coin production. The Coinage Act of Luxembourg stipulates that national coins cannot have a date stamp prior to the year of issue. Therefore, Luxembourg euro coins bear the mint master mark of the Temporary Director at the time of minting, despite the date on the coins.
Coins dated 2003–2004 bear the mint master mark of Maarten Brouwer, Director of the Utrecht Mint from 2003–2015. Luxembourgian euro coins dated 2005–2006 were produced at Rahapaja Oy (Mint of Finland), in Helsinki-Vantaa, Finland. Since the mint director does not affix a mint master mark to coins in production at that location, these coins do not bear a mint master mark but an S [7] and the logo of the 'Suomen Rahapaja' instead.
Luxembourg euro coins dated 2007-2008 were produced at Monnaie de Paris, in Pessac, France and bear the mint master mark of Hubert Larivière, Director of the Paris Mint.
As of 2009, coins are again minted at the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Until 2015 it was again the mint master mark of Maarten Brouwer. From 2016-2017 Kees Bruinsma was the Temporary Director of the Utrecht Mint.
Mark | Mark description | Name of mint master | Coin dates |
---|---|---|---|
Bow and arrow with a star [14] | E. J. van Schauwenburg | 2002 | |
Sailboat | Maarten Brouwer | 2003–2004 | |
[6] | Hunting horn, a wave and a fish | Hubert Larivière | 2007–2008 |
Sailboat | Maarten Brouwer | 2009–2015 | |
Sailboat with a star [14] | Kees Bruinsma | 2016–2017 | |
[15] | St. Servatius Bridge | Stephan Satijn | 2017–2021 |
Raven | Bert van Ravenswaaij | 2022–present |
Monegasque euro coins are produced by Monnaie de Paris, in Pessac, France beginning in 2001 and thus bear the mint master mark of Gérard Buquoy, Serge Levet, Hubert Larivière and Yves Sampo Directors of the Mint from 2001–2002, 2003, 2004–2010 and 2011–present respectively.
Mark | Mark description | Name of mint master | Coin dates |
---|---|---|---|
Horseshoe | Gérard Buquoy | 2001–2002 | |
Stylised heart with the initials of the mint master | Serge Levet | 2003 | |
[6] | Hunting horn, a wave and a fish | Hubert Larivière | 2004–2010 [16] |
[12] | Pentagon with letters AG, MP and YS | Yves Sampo | 2011–2020 |
Square with letters JJ | Joaquin Jimenez | 2021–present |
The mint masters of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) in Utrecht use mint master's marks on all Dutch euro coins minted at this location. [17]
Mark | Mark description | Name of mint master | Coin dates |
---|---|---|---|
Bow and arrow | Drs. Chr. van Draanen | 1999 | |
Bow and arrow with a star [14] | E. J. van Schauwenburg | 2000 | |
Vine branch and fruits | R. Bruens | 2001 | |
Vine branch and fruits with a star [14] | Maarten Brouwer | 2002 | |
Sailboat | Maarten Brouwer | 2003–2015 | |
Sailboat with a star [14] | Kees Bruinsma | 2016–2017 | |
[18] | St. Servatius Bridge | Stephan Satijn | 2017–present |
Slovenian euro coins dated 2008 were produced at Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and bear the mint master mark of Maarten Brouwer, director of the Royal Dutch Mint from 2003 until 2015.
Mark | Mark description | Name of mint master | Coin dates |
---|---|---|---|
Sailboat | Maarten Brouwer | 2008 |
Each country had the opportunity to design its own national side of the euro coin. Most coins bear the initials or the name of the designer somewhere in the national design. For example, all eight motives of the common reverse sides of the euro coins bear the stylised initials "LL" for Luc Luycx.
Euro coin denomination | Inscription image | Inscription text | Name | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
France | ||||
1, 2, 5 cent | F. COURTIADE | Fabienne Courtiade | designer | |
10, 20, 50 cent | [19] | L. JORIO d'ap. O.ROTY | Laurent Jorio, Oscar Roty [20] | designer |
1, 2 euro | J. JIMENEZ | Joaquim Jimenez | designer | |
Greece | ||||
All denominations | ΓΣ (stylised) | Georges Stamatopoulos | designer | |
Italy | ||||
1 cent | ED (stylised) | Eugenio Driutti | engraver | |
2 cent | LDS (stylised) | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | |
5 cent | ELF | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |
10 cent | CM | Claudia Momoni | engraver | |
20 cent | M.A.C. | Maria Angela Cassol | engraver | |
50 cent | M (stylised) | Roberto Mauri | engraver | |
1 euro | LC (stylised) | Laura Cretara | engraver | |
2 euro | M.C.C. | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | |
Luxembourg | ||||
All denominations | YGC (stylised) | Yvette Gastauer-Claire | designer | |
Malta | ||||
1, 2 and 5 cent | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | |
Portugal | ||||
All denominations | VS (stylised) | Vítor Manuel Fernandes dos Santos | designer | |
San Marino (first series) | ||||
All denominations | Ch (stylised) | Frantisek Chochola | sculptor | |
All denominations | ELF INC. [21] | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |
San Marino (second series) | ||||
All denominations | AL (stylised) | Arno Ludwig | sculptor | |
All denominations | E.L.F MOD. | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |
Slovakia | ||||
1, 2, 5 cent | Z | Drahomír Zobek | designer | |
10, 20, 50 cent | JČ (stylised) and 'PK' (stylised) | Ján Černaj and Pavol Károly | designers | |
IŘ (stylised) | Ivan Řehák | designer | ||
Vatican City (first series) | ||||
1, 2 and 5 cent | GV • UP INC. [21] | Guido Veroi Uliana Pernazza | sculptor engraver | |
10, 20 and 50 cent | GV • UP INC. [21] | Guido Veroi Uliana Pernazza | sculptor engraver | |
1 and 2 euro | [19] | GV • UP INC. [21] | Guido Veroi Uliana Pernazza | sculptor engraver |
Vatican City (second series) | ||||
All denominations | D. LONGO | Daniela Longo | sculptor | |
1 cent | M.A.C. INC. [21] | Maria Angela Cassol | engraver | |
2 cent | LDS (stylised) INC. [21] | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | |
5 cent | ELF INC. [21] | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |
10 cent | M.C.C. INC. [21] | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | |
20 cent | M.A.C. INC. [21] | Maria Angela Cassol | engraver | |
50 cent | LDS (stylised) INC. [21] | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | |
1 euro | ELF INC. [21] | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |
2 euro | M.C.C. INC. [21] | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | |
Vatican City (third series) | ||||
All denominations | D.L. | Daniela Longo | sculptor | |
1 and 2 cent | LDS INC. [21] | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | |
5 cent | ELF INC. [21] | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |
10 cent | M.C.C. INC. [21] | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | |
20 and 50 cent | M.A.C. INC. [21] | Maria Angela Cassol | engraver | |
1 euro | ELF INC. [21] | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |
2 euro | M.C.C. INC. [21] | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver |
Country | Inscription image | Inscription text | Name | Title | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | |||||||||||||
Finland | M M | Pertti Mäkinen Raimo Makkonen | designer mint master | ||||||||||
Greece | KK ΠΓ | Konstantinos Kazakos Panagiotis Gravvalos | designer | ||||||||||
Italy | UP (stylised) | Uliana Pernazza | engraver | ||||||||||
Luxembourg | YGC (stylised) | Yvette Gastauer-Claire | sculptor | ||||||||||
San Marino | E.L.F. | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | ||||||||||
Vatican | [19] | VEROI L.D.S. INC. [21] | Guido Veroi Luciana De Simoni | designer engraver | |||||||||
2005 | |||||||||||||
Belgium | LL (stylised) | Luc Luycx | designer | ||||||||||
Finland | K | Tapio Kettunen | designer | ||||||||||
Italy | M.C.C. | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | ||||||||||
Luxembourg | YGC (stylised) PB (stylised) | Yvette Gastauer-Claire Patrice Bernabei | sculptor designer | ||||||||||
San Marino | LDS (stylised) INC. [21] | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | ||||||||||
Vatican | [19] | LONGO ELF INC. [21] | Daniela Longo Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | designer engraver | |||||||||
2006 | |||||||||||||
Finland | M (the two marks reflect the mirror motif of the coin) | Raimo Makkonen | mint master | ||||||||||
Germany | HH | Heinz Hoyer | designer | ||||||||||
Italy | M.C.C. | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | ||||||||||
San Marino | LDS (stylised) | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | ||||||||||
Vatican | | O.ROSSI MCC INC. [21] | Orietta Rossi Maria Carmela Colaneri | designer engraver | |||||||||
2007 | |||||||||||||
Germany | HH | Heinz Hoyer | designer | ||||||||||
Monaco | R.B.BARON | R. B. Baron | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | [22] | I Vilar (signature) | Irene Vilar | designer | |||||||||
San Marino | E.L.F. | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | ||||||||||
Vatican | | LONGO MCC INC. [21] | Daniela Longo Maria Carmela Colaneri | designer engraver | |||||||||
2008 | |||||||||||||
Finland | K | Tapio Kettunen | sculptor | ||||||||||
Germany | OE (stylised) | Erich Ott | designer | ||||||||||
Italy | MCC | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | ||||||||||
Portugal | Esc. J. Duarte | João Duarte | sculptor | ||||||||||
San Marino | [19] | E.L.F. | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | |||||||||
Vatican | VEROI | Guido Veroi | engraver | ||||||||||
2009 | |||||||||||||
Germany | FB | Friedrich Brenner | sculptor | ||||||||||
Greece | ΓΣ | Georgios Stamatopoulos | sculptor | ||||||||||
Italy | M.C.C. | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | ||||||||||
Portugal | J.AURÉLIO | José Aurélio | plastic artist | ||||||||||
San Marino | A.M. | Annalisa Masini | engraver | ||||||||||
Slovakia | PK | Pavol Károly | engraver | ||||||||||
Vatican | O. ROSSI M.C.C. INC. | Orietta Rossi Maria Carmela Colaneri | designer engraver | ||||||||||
2010 | |||||||||||||
Germany | BB | Bodo Broschat | engraver | ||||||||||
Greece | ΓΣ | Georgios Stamatopoulos | sculptor | ||||||||||
Italy | C.M. | Claudia Momoni | engraver | ||||||||||
Portugal | JOSÉ CÂNDIDO | José Cândido | engraver | ||||||||||
San Marino | m | Roberto Mauri | engraver | ||||||||||
Vatican | VEROI ELF INC. | Guido Veroi Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | designer engraver | ||||||||||
2011 | |||||||||||||
Finland | V | Hannu Veijalainen | artist | ||||||||||
Germany | HH | Heinz Hoyer | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | ELF INC. | Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | engraver | ||||||||||
Portugal | IC - FB | Isabel Carriço and Fernando Branco | designers | ||||||||||
San Marino | C.M. | Claudia Momoni | engraver | ||||||||||
Slovakia | MR | Miroslav Rónai | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | O. ROSSI M.C.C. INC. | Orietta Rossi Maria Carmela Colaneri | designer engraver | ||||||||||
2012 | |||||||||||||
Finland | T | Erja Tielinen | sculptor | ||||||||||
Germany | Œ (stylised) | Erich Ott | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | M.C.C. | Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver | ||||||||||
Portugal | JOSÉ DE GUIMARÃES | José De Guimarães | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | G. TITOTTO LDS INC. | Gabriella Titotto Luciana De Simoni | designer engraver | ||||||||||
2013 | |||||||||||||
Germany | ER (stylised) | Eugen Ruhl | engraver | ||||||||||
Greece | ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | m (stylised) MCC | Roberto Mauri Maria Carmela Colaneri | engraver engraver | ||||||||||
Netherlands | KЯCL (stylised) P | Claudia Linders and Roosje Klap Pannos Goutzemisis | designers | ||||||||||
Portugal | HUGO MACIEL | Hugo Maciel | designer | ||||||||||
San Marino | MOMONI | Claudia Momoni | engraver | ||||||||||
Slovakia | mh (stylised) | Miroslav Hric | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | P. DANIELE M.C.C. INC. | Patrizio Daniele Maria Carmela Colaneri | sculptor engraver | ||||||||||
2014 | |||||||||||||
Germany | OE (stylised) | Erich Ott | engraver | ||||||||||
Greece | MA (stylised) | Maria Andonatou | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | LDS (stylised) C.M. | Luciana De Simoni Claudia Momoni | engraver engraver | ||||||||||
Netherlands | P | Pannos Goutzemisis | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | JOSÉ TEIXEIRA | José Teixeira | designer | ||||||||||
San Marino | MCC UP (stylised) | Maria Carmela Colaneri Uliana Pernazza | engraver engraver | ||||||||||
Slovakia | MP (stylised) | Mária Poldaufová | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | G. TITOTTO C.M. INC | Gabriella Titotto Claudia Momoni | designer engraver | ||||||||||
2015 | |||||||||||||
France | .J (stylised) | Joaquin Jimenez | engraver | ||||||||||
Germany | HH BW | Heinz Hoyer Bernd Wendhut | engraver sculptor | ||||||||||
Greece | ΓΣ ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | MGU SP | Maria Grazia Urbani Silvia Petrassi | engraver engraver | ||||||||||
Malta | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | A.M. F Fonseca (signature) | António Marinho Fernando Fonseca | designer designer | ||||||||||
San Marino | AM ES | Annalisa Masini Erik Spiekermann | engraver designer | ||||||||||
Slovakia | IŘ (stylised) | Ivan Řehák | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | C. PRINCIPE E.L.F. INC. | Chiara Principe Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini | designer engraver | ||||||||||
2016 | |||||||||||||
Finland | K | Tapio Kettunen | sculptor | ||||||||||
Germany | JT | Jordi Truxa | designer | ||||||||||
Greece | ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | LDS (stylised) | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | ||||||||||
C.M. | Claudia Momoni | engraver | |||||||||||
Malta | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | JOANA VASCONCELOS | Joana Vasconcelos | designer | ||||||||||
San Marino | MB | Matt Bonaccorsi | engraver | ||||||||||
Slovakia | VP (stylised) | Vladimír Pavlica | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | M. CRISCIOTTI MOMONI INC. | Mariangela Crisciotti Claudia Momoni | designer engraver | ||||||||||
D.LONGO SP INC | Daniela Longo Silvia Petrassi | designer engraver | |||||||||||
2017 | |||||||||||||
France | .J (stylised) | Joaquin Jimenez | designer | ||||||||||
Germany | Ch (stylised) | František Chocola | designer | ||||||||||
Greece | ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | LDS (stylised) | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | ||||||||||
C.M. | Claudia Momoni | engraver | |||||||||||
Malta | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | LUIS FILIPE DE ABREU | Luis Filipe de Abreu | designer | ||||||||||
San Marino | LDS (stylised) | Luciana De Simoni | designer | ||||||||||
A UP INC. | Andrew Lewis Uliana Pernazza | designer engraver | |||||||||||
Slovakia | MP (stylised) | Mária Poldaufová | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | O.ROSSI SP INC. (stylised) | Orietta Rossi Silvia Petrassi | designer engraver | ||||||||||
G.TITOTTO MOMONI INC. | Gabriella Titotto Claudia Momoni | designer engraver | |||||||||||
2018 | |||||||||||||
Belgium | LL (stylised) | Luc Luycx | designer | ||||||||||
France | .J (stylised) | Joaquin Jimenez | designer | ||||||||||
Germany | BB (stylised) | Bodo Broschat | designer | ||||||||||
Greece | ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | UP (stylised) | Uliana Pernazza | engraver | ||||||||||
SP (stylised) | Silvia Petrassi | engraver | |||||||||||
Lithuania | JP | Justas Petrassi | designer | ||||||||||
Malta | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | Eduardo Aires | Eduardo Aires | designer | ||||||||||
San Marino | LDS (stylised) | Luciana De Simoni | designer | ||||||||||
A.M. | Annalisa Masini | designer | |||||||||||
Slovakia | PK (stylised) | Pavol Károly | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | D.LONGO C.M. INC. | Daniela Longo Claudia Momoni | designer engraver | ||||||||||
P. DANIELE V.D.S. INC. | Patrizio Daniele Valerio De Seta | designer engraver | |||||||||||
2019 | |||||||||||||
Belgium | LL (stylised) | Luc Luycx | designer | ||||||||||
France | .J (stylised) | Joaquin Jimenez | designer | ||||||||||
Germany | MO (stylised) | Michael Otto | painter | ||||||||||
Greece | ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | M.A.C. | Maria Angela Cassol | engraver | ||||||||||
Malta | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | L.F. ABREU | Luis Filipe de Abreu | designer | ||||||||||
pomar (signature) | Júlio Pomar | designer | |||||||||||
San Marino | UP (stylised) | Uliana Pernazza | designer | ||||||||||
M.A.C. | Maria Angela Cassol | designer | |||||||||||
Slovakia | PV (stylised) | Peter Valach | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | D.LONGO INC. A.M. | Daniela Longo Annalisa Masini | designer engraver | ||||||||||
FUSCO CASSOL INC. | Daniela Fusco Maria Angela Cassol | designer engraver | |||||||||||
2020 | |||||||||||||
Belgium | LL (stylised) | Luc Luycx | designer | ||||||||||
France | .J (stylised) | Joaquin Jimenez | designer | ||||||||||
Germany | JT (stylised) | Jordi Truxa | designer | ||||||||||
BB (stylised) | Bodo Broschat | designer | |||||||||||
Greece | ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | LDS (stylised) | Luciana De Simoni | engraver | ||||||||||
Malta | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | ||||||||||
Portugal | ANDRÉ LETRIA | André Letria | designer | ||||||||||
Esc. J.J. BRITO | José João de Brito | engraver | |||||||||||
San Marino | C.M. | Claudia Momoni | designer | ||||||||||
A.M. | Annalisa Masini | designer | |||||||||||
Slovakia | PV (stylised) | Peter Valach | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | D.LONGO SP. A.M. | Daniela Longo Silvia Petrassi | designer engraver | ||||||||||
G.TITOTTO M.A.C. INC. | Gabriella Titotto Maria Angela Cassol | designer engraver | |||||||||||
2021 | |||||||||||||
Belgium | LL (stylised) | Luc Luycx | designer | ||||||||||
France | .J (stylised) | Joaquin Jimenez | designer | ||||||||||
Germany | MO (stylised) | Michael Otto | painter | ||||||||||
Greece | ΣtΑΜ (stylised) | Georgios Stamatopoulos | engraver | ||||||||||
Italy | UP (stylised) | Uliana Pernazza | engraver | ||||||||||
C.M. | Claudia Momoni | engraver | |||||||||||
Malta | NGB | Noel Galea Bason | designer | ||||||||||
MAF (stylised) | Maria Anna Frisone | designer | |||||||||||
Portugal | EDUARDO AIRES | Eduardo Aires | designer | ||||||||||
F.PROVIDÊNCIA | Francisco Providência | sculptor | |||||||||||
San Marino | SP (stylised) | Claudia Momoni | designer | ||||||||||
VdS | Valerio De Seta | designer | |||||||||||
Slovakia | BR (stylised) | Branislav Rónai | designer | ||||||||||
Vatican | CP (stylised) UP. INC. | Chiara Principe Uliana Pernazza | designer engraver | ||||||||||
P.DANIELE A.M. INC. | Patrizio Daniele Annalisa Masini | designer engraver |
With each member of the Eurozone comes a set of individual coin designs. Included in the individuality of the national obverse face of the euro coins, whose design is left to the member states, is the edge of the €2 coin. Each member was allowed to design a unique inscription that would appear on the €2 coin's edge. Some of these edge inscriptions are carried over from the coins of the yielded currencies in circulation prior to the introduction of the euro.
Country | Edge inscription | Description |
---|---|---|
Austria | The sequence "2 EURO ★★★" repeated four times alternately upright and inverted. | |
Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain | The sequence "2 ★ ★" repeated six times alternately upright and inverted. | |
Croatia | "O LIJEPA O DRAGA O SLATKA SLOBODO" ("Oh beautiful, oh dear, oh sweet freedom" in Croatian, from Dubravka ). | |
Cyprus | The sequence "2 ΕΥΡΩ 2 EURO" repeated twice (2 EURO in Greek and Turkish). | |
Estonia | "EESTI ○" (ESTONIA in Estonian) upright and inverted. | |
Finland | "SUOMI FINLAND" (FINLAND in both Finnish and Swedish, the two official languages in Finland), followed by three lion's heads. | |
Germany | "EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT" (UNITY AND JUSTICE AND FREEDOM in German), Germany's national motto and the beginning of Germany's national anthem, followed by the Federal Eagle. | |
Greece | "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ ★" (ELLINIKI DHIMOKRATIA ★: "HELLENIC REPUBLIC" in Greek). | |
Italy, San Marino, Vatican | The sequence "2 ★" repeated six times alternately upright and inverted. | |
Latvia | "DIEVS ★ SVĒTĪ ★ LATVIJU ★" ( GOD BLESS LATVIA ) | |
Lithuania | "LAISVĖ ★ VIENYBĖ ★ GEROVĖ ★" ("Freedom, Unity, Prosperity" in Lithuanian) | |
Malta | The sequence "2✠✠" (with Maltese crosses) repeated six times alternately upright and inverted | |
Netherlands | "GOD ★ ZIJ ★ MET ★ ONS ★" (GOD BE WITH US in Dutch). The same lettering had been applied to the larger denomination guilder coins. | |
Portugal | The edge design features the seven castles and five coats of arms also found on the national side, all equally spaced. | |
Slovakia | "SLOVENSKÁ REPUBLIKA" (SLOVAK REPUBLIC in Slovak) with two stars and linden leaf between. | |
Slovenia | "SLOVENIJA •" (SLOVENIA in Slovene) |
Generally the edge inscription of a €2 commemorative coin does not change from the standard issue counterpart. There are a few exceptions.
Year and Country | Edge inscription | Description |
---|---|---|
Finland (2005) | "YK 1945–2005 FN" ("UN 1945–2005 UN" in Finnish and Swedish, the official languages of Finland) followed by three lion's heads. "YK" stands for Yhdistyneet Kansakunnat and "FN" for Förenta Nationerna. Issued to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and Finland's 50 year membership in the UN. [23] | |
Finland (2007) | "ROMFÖRDRAGET 50 ÅR EUROPA" ("TREATY OF ROME 50 YEARS EUROPE" in Swedish, one of the official languages of Finland. The same words in Finnish - "ROOMAN SOPIMUS 50 V EUROOPPA" - appear on the face of this coin). Issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome. [24] | |
Finland (2009) | "TALOUS-JA RAHALIITTO EMU" ("ECONOMIC AND MONETARY UNION EMU" in Finnish, one of the official languages of Finland. Issued to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. |
In 2008, a European Commission's recommendation was approved in which the following was stated: "The legend engraved on the edge of the commemorative euro coins intended for circulation must be the same as that on the normal euro coins intended for circulation." [25] In 2012, a European Regulation was approved in which, with a binding nature, the previous restriction was specified. [26]
There are eight euro coin denominations, ranging from one cent to two euros. The coins first came into use in 2002. They have a common reverse, portraying a map of Europe, but each country in the eurozone has its own design on the obverse, which means that each coin has a variety of different designs in circulation at once. Four European microstates that are not members of the European Union use the euro as their currency and also have the right to mint coins with their own designs on the obverse side.
Belgian euro coins feature only a single design for all eight coins: the portrait or effigy of the King of the Belgians. Previously, all Belgian euros depicted King Albert II and his royal monogram. Current coins depict King Philippe. Also part of the design by Jan Alfons Keustermans are the 12 stars of the EU and the year of imprint.
Dutch euro coins currently use two designs by Erwin Olaf, both of which feature a portrait of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The new designs began circulating in 2014. Dutch Euro coins minted from 1999 to 2013 feature a portrait of Queen Beatrix designed by Bruno Ninaber van Eyben. All coins share the 12 stars of the EU and the year of imprint in their design.
Finnish euro coins feature three designs. Heikki Häiväoja provided the design for the 1 cent – 50 cent coins, Pertti Mäkinen provided the design for the 1 euro coin, and Raimo Heino provided the design for the 2 euro coin, which shows cloudberry, the golden berry of northern Finland. All designs feature the 12 stars of the EU and the year of imprint.
The British two pound coin (£2) is a denomination of sterling coinage. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin’s release. Three different portraits of the Queen have been used, with the current design by Jody Clark being introduced in 2015. The reverse design features Britannia.
The British one pound (£1) coin is a denomination of sterling coinage. Its obverse bears the Latin engraving ELIZABETH II D G REG F D meaning, 'Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith'. It has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the original coin's introduction on 21 April 1983. Four different portraits of the Queen have been used, with the latest design by Jody Clark being introduced in 2015. The design on the reverse side of the current, 12-sided coin features four emblems to represent each of the nations of the United Kingdom — the English rose, the leek for Wales, the Scottish thistle, and the shamrock for Northern Ireland, also two or three oak leaves — emerging from a single 5-branched stem within a crown. In May 2022 the Royal Mint announced that the Kenyan-born artist Michael Armitage is designing a new £1 coin which will be issued in 2023 and will celebrate the "history of the UK in the 21st century".
The Royal Canadian Mint is the mint of Canada and a Crown corporation, operating under the Royal Canadian Mint Act. The shares of the mint are held in trust for the Crown in right of Canada.
The dollar coin is a United States coin with a face value of one United States dollar. Dollar coins have been minted in the United States in gold, silver, and base metal versions. Dollar coins were first minted in the United States in 1794.
The quarter, short for quarter dollar, is a Canadian coin worth 25 cents or one-fourth of a Canadian dollar. It is a small, circular coin of silver colour. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the official name for the coin is the 25-cent piece, but in practice, it is usually called a "quarter", much like its American counterpart. In Canadian French, it is called a caribou. The coin is produced at the mint's facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
In Canada, a penny is an out-of-production coin worth one cent, or 1⁄100 of a dollar. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the official term for the coin is the one-cent piece, but in practice the terms penny and cent predominate. Penny was likely readily adopted because the previous coinage in Canada was the British monetary system, where Canada used British pounds, shillings, and pence as coinage alongside U.S. decimal coins. Like all Canadian coins, the obverse depicts the reigning Canadian monarch at the time of issue.
The Kennedy half dollar, first minted in 1964, is a fifty-cent coin issued by the United States Mint. Intended as a memorial to the assassinated 35th president of the United States John F. Kennedy, it was authorized by Congress just over a month after his death. Use of existing works by Mint sculptors Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro allowed dies to be prepared quickly, and striking of the new coins began in January 1964.
The coins of Canada are produced by the Royal Canadian Mint and denominated in Canadian dollars ($) and the subunit of dollars, cents (¢). An effigy of the reigning monarch always appears on the obverse of all coins. There are standard images which appear on the reverse, but there are also commemorative and numismatic issues with different images on the reverse.
The Dutch One guilder coin struck under the reign of King William II was a unit of currency in the Netherlands.
The One guilder coin was a coin struck in the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1818 and 2001. It remained in circulation until 2002 when the guilder currency was replaced by the euro. No guilder coins were minted in the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.
The Royal Dutch Mint based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, is a company owned by Heimerle + Meule. It was established and previously owned by the Dutch state.
Euro proof sets are proof sets of the coins of the Euro. Proof coins were originally coins minted to test the dies used in the coin minting process and to archive sets of coins minted every year. Modern proof sets are minted in higher numbers and are sold to the public and numismatists for collecting. Modern proof coins are often minted using special processes in order to make the coins more aesthetically pleasing. Mints in countries in the European Union who use the Euro often make proof sets of the upcoming year's Euro coins. Sets from these countries are listed below.
The Indian Head eagle is a $10 gold piece or eagle that was struck by the United States Mint continuously from 1907 until 1916, and then irregularly until 1933. The obverse and reverse were designed by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, originally commissioned for use on other denominations. He was suffering from cancer and did not survive to see the coins released.
The Mint of Finland, legally registered as Suomen Rahapaja Oy, is the national mint of Finland. It was established by Alexander II of Russia in 1860 as the mark became the official currency of the Grand Duchy of Finland. The mint was first located in the Katajanokka district of Helsinki and in 1988 the new production facility was opened in Vantaa. Mint of Finland has been a public limited company since 1993. Today it is the owner of the Swedish mint, the Myntverket, and owns half of the shares of the Royal Norwegian Mint.
The 20 yen coin (二十圓硬貨) is a former denomination of the Japanese yen. These coins were minted in gold, and during their lifespan were the highest denomination of coin that circulated in the country. The first coins were minted in 1870 following the introduction of a decimal currency system. Twenty Yen coins spanned three different Imperial eras before mintage was halted in 1932. Many of these coins were melted down as a result of the wars between 1931 and 1945. These coins no longer circulate, and are instead collected as items of numismatic value, or as investments for their gold content.