1 cent euro coinsThere are eight euro coins, ranging in value 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...
(€0.01) have a value of one-hundredth of a
euroThe euro is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain...
and are composed of
copperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable and a freshly-exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color...
-covered
steelSteel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
. All coins have a common reverse side and country-specific national sides. The coin has been used since 2002 and was not redesigned in 2007 as was the case with the higher value coins.
The coin dates from 2002, when
euro coinsThere are eight euro coins, ranging in value 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...
and
banknotesEuro banknotes are the banknotes of the euro, the currency of the eurozone . They have been in circulation since 2002 and are issued by the European Central Bank , each bearing the signature of the President of the European Central Bank...
were introduced in the 12 member
eurozoneThe eurozone is an economic and monetary union of 16 European Union member states which have adopted the euro currency as their sole legal tender. It currently consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal,...
and its related territories.
1 cent euro coinsThere are eight euro coins, ranging in value 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...
(€0.01) have a value of one-hundredth of a
euroThe euro is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain...
and are composed of
copperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable and a freshly-exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color...
-covered
steelSteel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
. All coins have a common reverse side and country-specific national sides. The coin has been used since 2002 and was not redesigned in 2007 as was the case with the higher value coins.
History
The coin dates from 2002, when
euro coinsThere are eight euro coins, ranging in value 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...
and
banknotesEuro banknotes are the banknotes of the euro, the currency of the eurozone . They have been in circulation since 2002 and are issued by the European Central Bank , each bearing the signature of the President of the European Central Bank...
were introduced in the 12 member
eurozoneThe eurozone is an economic and monetary union of 16 European Union member states which have adopted the euro currency as their sole legal tender. It currently consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal,...
and its related territories. The common side was designed by
Luc LuycxLuc Luycx is the designer of the common side of the euro coins.Luycx is a computer engineer living in Dendermonde, Belgium and has worked for the Royal Belgian Mint for 15 years. He designed the euro coins in 1996....
, a
BelgianThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
artist who won a Europe-wide competition to design the new coins. The design of the 1 to 5 cent coins was intended to show the
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
's (EU) place in the world (relative to
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
and
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
) as opposed to the one and two euro coins showing the 15 states as one and the 10 to 50 cent coins showing separate
EU statesA Member State of the European Union is any one of the 27 sovereign states that have acceded to the European Union since its de facto inception in 1951 as the European Coal and Steel Community . From an original membership of six states, there have been six successive enlargements, the largest...
.
The national sides, then 15 (eurozone +
MonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, having a land border on three sides only with France, and being about away from Italy. Its size is just under 2 km² with an...
,
San MarinoThe Most Serene Republic of San Marino is a country situated in the Apennine Mountains. It is a landlocked enclave, completely surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over 60 km² with an estimated population of almost 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
and the Vatican who could mint their own) were each designed according to national competitions, though to specifications which applied to all coins such as the requirement of including twelve stars (see
euro coinsThere are eight euro coins, ranging in value 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...
for more). National designs were not allowed to change until the end of 2008, unless a monarch (who's portrait usually appears on the coins) dies or abdicates. This happened in Monaco and the Vatican City resulting in three new designs in circulation (the Vatican had an interim design until the new
PopeThe pope is the Bishop of Rome and, as such, is leader of the worldwide Catholic Church...
was selected). National designs have seen some changes due to new rules stating that national designs should include the name of the issuing country (Finland and Belgium both do not show their name, and hence have made minor changes).
As the
EU's membershipA Member State of the European Union is any one of the 27 sovereign states that have acceded to the European Union since its de facto inception in 1951 as the European Coal and Steel Community . From an original membership of six states, there have been six successive enlargements, the largest...
has since
expandedEnlargement of the European Union is the process of expanding the European Union through the accession of new member states. This process began with the Inner Six, who founded the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951...
in 2004 and 2007, with further expansions envisaged, the common face of all euro coins from the value of 10 cent and above were redesigned in 2007 to show a new map. The 1 to 5 cent coins however did not change, as the highlighting of the old members over the globe was so faint it was not considered worth the cost. However new national coin designs were added in 2007 with the entry of
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north...
, in 2008 with
CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
and
MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
and
SlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava...
in 2009.
Design
The coins are composed of
copperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable and a freshly-exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color...
-covered
steelSteel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, with a diameter of 16.25 mm, a 1.67 mm thickness and a mass of 2.30 grams. The coins' edges are smooth. The coins have been used from 2002, though some are dated 1999 which is the year the
euroThe euro is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain...
was created as a currency, but not put into general circulation.
Obverse (common) side
The obverse was designed by Luc Luycx and displays a globe in the bottom left. The then-fifteen members of the EU are lightly highlighted and the northern half of
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
and the eastern half of
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
(including the
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
) are shown. Six fine lines cut diagonally behind the globe from each side of the coin and have twelve stars at their ends (reflective of the flag of Europe). To the top left is a large number 1 followed, in smaller text, by the words "Euro Cent". The designers initials, LL, appear to the right of the globe.
Reverse (national) sides
The reverse side of the coin depends on the issuing country. All have to include twelve stars (in most cases a circle around the edge), the engravers initials and the year of issue. New designs also have to include the name or initials of the issuing country. The side cannot repeat the denomination of the coin unless the issuing country uses an alphabet other than
LatinThe Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world today. It evolved from the western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, and was initially developed by the ancient Romans to write the Latin language.During the...
(currently,
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
and
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
are the only such countries, hence Greece engraves "1 ΛΕΠΤΟ" upon their coins).
| Description |
Image |
:
The Austrian designAustrian euro coins have a unique design for each denomination, with a common theme for each of the three series of coins. The minor coins feature Austrian flowers, the middle coins examples of architecture from Austria's capital, Vienna, and the two major coins famous Austrians...
features a AlpineThe Alps are one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west....
gentianGentiana acaulis is a small gentian native to central and southern Europe from Spain east to the Balkans, growing especially in mountainous regions, such as the Alps, Cevennes and the Pyrenees, at heights of 800 to 3,000 m....
as a symbol of Austria's part in developing EU environmental policy. The words "EIN EURO CENT" (one euro cent) appear at the top with a hatchedThe system of heraldry has two main methods to designate the tinctures of arms in uncolored illustrations: hatching and tricking. Hatching, i.e. patterns of lines and dots, is the most common method to designate colours on uncoloured surfaces, like engravings, seals and coins.Our present day...
Austrian flagThe flag of Austria has three equal horizontal bands of red , white, and red.The Austrian flag is possibly the oldest national flag design in the world...
below with the date. |
|
:
The Belgian designBelgian euro coins feature only a single design for all eight coins: the portrait or effigy of King Albert II of the Belgians and his royal monogram...
was chosen by a panel of leading Belgian officials, artisans and experts in numismatics. They chose an effigyAn effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer, but may also be recumbent, kneeling...
of King Albert IIAlbert II is the current King of the Belgians and a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He is the younger son of King Leopold III and his first wife, Princess Astrid of Sweden...
designed by Jan Alfons Keustermans, Director of the Municipal Academy of Fine Arts of TurnhoutTurnhout is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The city is also known as the Capital of the Campine. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. On January 1 2006 Turnhout had a total population of 39,791...
. To the right hand side among the stars was the kings monogramA monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos...
, a letter "A", underneath a crown. The year was lower down, also among the stars. The 2008 redesign included the letters BE (standing for Belgium) beneath the monogram, which was moved out of the stars into the centre circle but still to the right of the King's portrait. The date was also moved out and placed beneath the effigy and included two symbols either side (left: signature mark of the master of the mint, right: mint mark). |
1st Series (2002–2007) |
2nd Series (2008–) |
:
The Cypriot designCypriot euro coins feature three separate designs for the three series of coins. Cyprus has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004, and is a member of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union...
features two Cypriot MouflonThe mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars ....
, a species of wild sheep on Cyprus that represents the island's wildlife. It includes, in a semi-circle to the top right, the name of Cyprus in GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
and TurkishTurkish is spoken as a first language by over 63 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Cyprus, with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and other...
(ΚΥΠΡΟΣ and KIBRIS) each side of the date. It has been used since Cyprus adopted the euro in 2008. It was chosen in a public vote and the exact design was created by Erik Maell and Tatiana Soteropoulos. |
|
:
The Finnish designFinnish euro coins feature three separate 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...
depicts the heraldic lion of Finland found on the Coat of arms of FinlandThe Coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right forepaw replaced with an armoured hand brandishing a sword, trampling on a saber with the hindpaws...
. It is a reproduction of a design by the sculptor Heikki HäiväojaHeikki Häiväoja was the designer of the Finnish euro coins design for the minor and middle series of coins. All designs feature the 12 stars of the EU and the year of imprint on one side, and a national design on the other....
and has been used by previous Finnish coins such as the 1 markka between 1964 and 2001. The first series included the initial of the mint master of the Mint of Finland, Raimo Makkonen (an M), on the bottom left side of the lion and the date to the left. When the coins were redesign to meet the new design requirements, the initial was replaced by the mint's mint mark and moved the to the left, with the letters FI (for Finland) sitting in the bottom right. |
1st Series (2002–2006) |
2nd Series (2007–) |
:
The French designFrench euro coins feature three separate designs for the three series of coins. The minor series was designed by Fabienne Courtiade, the middle one by Laurent Jorio and the major two coins are by Joaquim Jimenez...
features MarianneMarianne, a national emblem of the French Republic, is, by extension, an allegory of Liberty and Reason. She represents France as a state, and its values . She is displayed in many places in France and holds a place of honour in town halls and law courts...
, the feminine representation of France; its state and its values. It is the most prominent representation of France and its ideals of liberty and reason, dating to 1848. The depiction is young and determined, embodying France's desire for a sound and lasting Europe. The letters RF (République française), stylised, appear to the right above the year. The depiction was designed by Fabienne Courtiade of the Paris MintThe Monnaie de Paris or, more administratively speaking, the "Direction of Coins and Medals", is an administration of the French government charged with issuing coins as well as producing medals and other similar items...
. |
|
:
The German designGerman euro coins have three separate designs for the three series of coins. The 1, 2 and 5 cent coins were designed by Rolf Lederbogen, the design for the 10, 20 and 50 cent coins is by the hand of Reinhard Heinsdorff and the 1 and 2 euro coins were done by Heinz Hoyer and Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer...
depict an oakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 400 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
twig, an image carried over from the previous pfennigThe Pfennig is an old German coin or note, which existed from the 9th century until the introduction of the euro in 2002....
. The year and mint mark are shown at the bottom and the image was designed by Professor Rolf Lederbogen. |
|
:
The Greek designGreek euro coins feature a unique design for each of the eight coins. They were all designed by Georgios Stamatopoulos with the minor coins depicting Greek ships, the middle ones portraying famous Greeks and the two large denominations showing images of Greek history and mythology. All designs...
shows an AthenianAthens , the capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the world's oldest cities, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years....
triremeThe trireme is a class of warship used by the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, especially the Phoenicians, ancient Greeks and Romans. In English, no differentiation is made between the Greek triērēs and the Latin triremis...
from the fifth century BCEThe 5th century BC started the first day of 500 BC and ended the last day of 401 BC.-Overview:This century saw the beginning of a period of philosophical brilliance among Western civilizations, particularly the Greeks which would continue all the way through the 4th century until the time of...
used in ancient GreeceAncient Greece is the civilisation belonging to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca. 1100 BC and the Dorian invasion, to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth. It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the...
. Below it is the denomination in GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
and above is the year. It was designed by Georgios Stamatopoulos. |
|
:
The Irish designIrish euro coins all share the same design by Jarlath Hayes, that of the harp, a traditional symbol for Ireland since the Middle Ages, based on that of the Brian Boru harp, housed in Trinity College, Dublin. The same harp is used as the official seals of the Taoiseach, and government ministers and...
shows an Irish harp (the ClàrsachClàrsach , Cláirseach are the Gaelic words for 'a harp'. The word clarsach is used in Scottish English and the word cláirseach is used in Irish to refer to a variety of small Irish and Scottish harps....
) used as a national symbol (for example, on the Official Seal of the President of IrelandThe Official Seal of the President of Ireland is a seal used by the President of Ireland to be affixed to every "...order, commission, warrant, or other instrument..." which the president has witnessed...
). Vertically on the left hand side is the word "Éireis the Irish name for the island of Ireland and the sovereign state of the same name.- Etymology :The modern Irish Éire evolved from the Old Irish word Ériu, which was the name of a Gaelic goddess. Ériu is generally believed to have been the matron goddess of Ireland, a goddess of sovereignty, or...
" (Ireland in the Irish languageIrish is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now only spoken natively by a small minority of the Irish population but also plays an important symbolic role in the life of the Irish state, and is used...
) and on the right hand side is the date. The harp motif was designed by Jarlath Hayes. |
|
:
The Italian designItalian euro coins have a design unique to each denomination, though there is a common theme of famous Italian works of art from one of Italy's renowned artists...
is a depiction of the Castel del Monte in ApuliaApulia is a region in southeastern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its southern portion known as Salento, a peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy...
and was built in the thirteenth century by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick IIFrederick II of Hohenstaufen was Holy Roman Emperor from his papal coronation in 1220 until his death; he was also a pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212 and unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215. As such, he was King of Germany, of Italy, and of Burgundy...
. The interpretation for the coin was engraved by Eugenio Driutti and it includes the interconnected letters IR (Repubblica Italiana) below and the year above. |
|
:
The Luxembourgian design contains a stylised effigy of Grand Duke Henri of LuxembourgHenri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
designed by Yvette Gastauer-Claire in consultation with the government and monarchy of LuxembourgThe Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the sovereign monarch and head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since 15 March 1815, when it was elevated from a duchy when placed in personal union with the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. The name Lëtzebuerg (Luxembourg in LuxembourgishLuxembourgish , is a Moselle Franconian language spoken mainly in Luxembourg. About 390,000 people worldwide speak Luxembourgish.-Language family:...
) and the year is written round the bottom of the coin. |
|
:
The Maltese designMaltese euro coins feature three separate designs for the three series of coins. Malta has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004, and is a member of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. Malta adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2008...
depicts an alter at the prehistoric megalithA megalith is a large stone which has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the...
MnajdraMnajdra is a megalithic temple complex found on the on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island of Malta. Mnajdra is approximately 500 metres from the Ħaġar Qim megalithic complex...
temples. The temples were built in the fourth millennium BCEThe 4th millennium BC saw major changes in human culture. It marks the beginning of the Bronze Age and of writing.The city states of Sumer and the kingdom of Egypt are established and grow to prominence. Agriculture spreads widely across Eurasia...
on the southern coast overlooking the sea. Beneath the depiction is the name Malta and the year. The arms were the third most popular in a public vote and was designed by Noel Galea Bason. It has been used since Malta switched to the euro in 2008. |
|
:
The first Monegasque design contained the the coat of arms of Monaco with the name MONACO was written across the top of the coin's outer circle and the year across the bottom of the outer circle with the mint marks. When Prince Albert IIAlbert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the current ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and his princess consort, Grace Kelly...
succeeded Prince Rainier IIIRainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for more than 50 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married...
in 2005, the overall design was kept but the name and the year were moved within the circle to bring it in line with the new designs of the other coins that had changed significantly. |
1st Series (2002–2005) |
2nd Series (2006–) |
:
The Dutch designDutch euro coins have two designs by Bruno Ninaber van Eyben, both of which feature a portrait or effigy of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. All coins share the 12 stars of the EU and the year of imprint in their design....
displays a stylised profile of Queen Beatrix of the NetherlandsBeatrix has been the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 30 April 1980, when her mother, Queen Juliana, abdicated.-Early life:...
surrounded by the twelve stars and other dots, with the inscription “Beatrix Queen of The Netherlands” in DutchDutch is a West Germanic language spoken by over 22 million people as a native language, and over 5 million people as a second language. "1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language...
around the edge. The date and mint marks are located at the bottom. |
|
:
The Portuguese designPortuguese euro coins show three different designs for each of the three series of coins. However, they are quite similar in that all contain old Portuguese royal mints and seals within a circle of seven castles and five escutcheona with silver bezants and the word "Portugal"...
shows the royal seal of 1134 (stylised "Portugal") surrounded by the country's castles and five escutcheona with silver bezantBezant is a medieval term for a gold coin. The term is derived from the word Byzantium, the Latinized form of the original Greek name of the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, where gold coins often came from, and were associated with, since the time of Constantine I.-History:Gold coins were not...
s set in relation to the surrounding European stars which is supposed to symbolise dialogue, exchange of values and dynamics in the building of Europe. Between the castles are the numbers of the year towards the bottom and the letters of the name Portugal between the upper icons. The stars are inset on a ridge. |
|
:
The Sammarinese design features the third of the Three Towers of San MarinoThe Three Towers of San Marino are a group of towers located in the small European country of San Marino. Located on the three peaks of Monte Titano in the capital, also called San Marino, they are depicted on both the national flag and coat of arms...
; MontaleMontale is one of three peaks which overlook the city of San Marino, the capital of the Republic of San Marino. The other two are De La Fratta and Guaita....
. In a semicircle above the tower to the right are the words San Marino and to the left, the date. The mint marks are shown to the lower right. |
|
:
The Slovak designSlovak euro coins feature three separate designs for the three series of coins. Slovakia has been a member of the European Union since May 2004, and is a member of the European Economic and Monetary Union...
depicts KriváňKriváň is a mountain in the High Tatras, Slovakia, that dominates the upper part of the former Liptov County. Multiple surveys among nature lovers have ranked it as the country's most beautiful peak. Readily accessible along maintained marked trails and with the exceptional vistas afforded from...
, a notable peak of the Tatra mountainsHigh Tatras or High Tatra are a mountain range on the borders between Slovakia and Poland...
. Kriváň symbolises Slovakia's sovereignty. Below is the name SLOVENSKO (Slovakia), then the year and the coat of arms of SlovakiaThe coat of arms of Slovakia is composed of a silver double cross, elevated on the middle peak of a dark blue mountain consisting of three peaks. It is situated on a red early gothic shield. Extremities of the cross are amplificated, and its ends are concaved.This symbol represents Slovak...
with the mint marks either side. The coin came into use in 2009 when Slovakia adopted the euro and it was designed by Ján Černaj and Pavol Károly, chosen by a public competition and vote in 2005. |
|
:
The Slovenian designSlovenian euro coins were first issued for circulation on 1 January 2007 and feature a unique design for each coin. The design of approximately 230 million Slovenian euro coins was unveiled on 7 October 2005. The designers were Miljenko Licul, Maja Licul and Janez Boljka...
depicts a storkStorks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
, a motif taken from the former 20 Slovenian tolarThe tolar was the currency of Slovenia from 1991 until the introduction of the euro on 31 December 2006. It was subdivided into 100 stotinov...
coin by Janez Boljka. Between each star round the right hand edge are the letters SLOVENIJA (Slovenia) with the date after it to the upper left. The design came into use in 2007 when Slovenia adopted the euro. |
|
:
The Spanish designSpanish euro coins feature three different designs for each of the three series of coins. The minor series of 1, 2 and 5 cent coins were designed by Garcilaso Rollán, the middle series of 10, 20, and 50 cent coins by Begoña Castellanos and the two major coins feature the portrait or effigy of King...
displays the Obradoiro façade of the Cathedral of Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela Cathedral is situated in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. It is the destination of the Way of St...
, a prime example of Spanish baroqueBaroque architecture, starting in the early 17th century in Italy, took the humanist Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state. New architectural concerns for color, light and...
started in 1667 by Jose del Toro and Domingo de Andrade and completed in the 18th century by Fernando Casas y Novoa. The cathedral, which is romanesqueRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe, characterised by semi-circular arches, and evolving into the Gothic style, characterised by pointed arches, beginning in the 12th century...
and dates to 1128, is a major pilgrimageIn religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of many major religions participate in pilgrimages...
destination. The name España (Spain) is shown to the top left and the top left four stars are indented on a raised area, inverting the effect of the rest of the coin. The date is shown to the top right. |
|
:
The Vatican designVatican euro coins are issued by the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Vatican City State and minted by Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato , in Rome, Italy...
has changed two times. The first displayed an effigy of Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła served as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death almost 27 years later. His was the second-longest pontificate; only Pope Pius IX served longer...
. The name CITTA DEL VATICANO (Vatican CityVatican City , officially the State of the Vatican City , is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy...
) was written to his left, the date and mint mark below and the stars grouped together on his right. Following the death of John Paul II in 2005, a new coin was issued during the Sede vacanteSede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church...
until a new Pope was chosen. This contained the insignia of the Apostolic ChamberThe Apostolic Camera, or in Latin Camera Apostolica or Apostolica Camera, is the central board of finance in the Papal administrative system, which at one time was of great importance in the government of the States of the Church, and in the administration of justice, led by the Camerlengo of the...
and the coat of arms of the Cardinal Chamberlain. When Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI is the 265th and reigning Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the head of the Catholic Church and, as such, Sovereign of the Vatican City State...
was elected, his effigy appeared on the coins, with the name of the city now above his head with the year and mint mark in the middle to his right. |
1st Series (2002–2005) |
2nd Series (2005–2006) |
3rd Series (2006–) |
Planned designs
Austria, Germany and Greece will also at some point need to update their designs to comply with guidelines stating they must include the issuing state's name or initial, and not repeat the denomination of the coin.
In addition, there are several EU states that have not yet adopted the euro, some of them have already agreed upon their coin designs however it is not know exactly when they will adopt the currency, and hence these are not yet minted. See
enlargement of the EurozoneEnlargement of the eurozone is at present a continuing process within the European Union . All member states of the EU, except for Denmark and the United Kingdom , are obliged to adopt the euro as their sole currency when they meet the criteria...
for expected entry dates of these countries.
Usage
The one and two-cent coins were initially introduced in order to ensure that the introduction of the euro was not used as an excuse by retailers to heavily round up prices. However, due to the cost of maintaining a circulation of low value coins, by business and the mints,
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
and the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
round prices to the nearest five cents (
Swedish roundingSwedish rounding is rounding the basic cost of a purchase which is to be paid for in cash to the nearest multiple of the smallest denomination of currency...
) if paying with cash money, while producing only a handful of those coins for collectors, rather than general circulation. Despite this, the coins are still legal tender and produced outside these states, so if a customer with a one-cent coin minted elsewhere wishes to pay with it, he may.
The
De Nederlandsche BankDe Nederlandsche Bank is the central bank of the Netherlands. It is part of the European System of Central Banks .-History:...
calculated it would save $36 million a year by not using the smaller coins. Other countries such as
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
favoured retaining the coins due to their desire for €1.99 prices, which appear more attractive to the consumer than a €2 price. According to a
EurobarometerEurobarometer is a series of surveys regularly performed on behalf of the European Commission since 1973. It produces reports of public opinion of certain issues relating to the European Union across the member states...
survey of EU citizens, Germans are most sceptical about the removal of the two coin, however on average there is a majority (52%) for their removal.
Nicknames
In
FlemishFlemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, a number of varieties of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium.*The East Flemish and West Flemish dialects of the Dutch language....
, the 1, 2 and 5 cent coins have the
nicknameSeveral linguistic issues have arisen in relation to the spelling of the words euro and cent in the many languages of the member states of the European Union, as well as in relation to grammar and the formation of plurals....
koper (
copperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable and a freshly-exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color...
), ros (
redheadRedhead may refer to:* A person with red hair.* Redhead , a North American duck, Aythya americana* A colloquial name for the immatures and adult females of some other ducks, notably smew and mergansers...
) or rostjes (little redhead) due to their colour. In
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
, the 1 cent coin gained the nicknames button (botão) and feijão (bean), due to their small size and value: when one does not gamble with real money, they gamble with buttons.