Italian euro coins
Encyclopedia
Italian 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. Each coin is designed by a different designer, from the 1 cent to the 2 euro coin they are: Eugenio Driutti, Luciana De Simoni, Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini, Claudia Momoni, Maria Angela Cassol, Roberto Mauri, Laura Cretara and Maria Carmela Colaneri. All designs feature the 12 stars of the EU
, the year of imprint, the overlapping letters "RI" for Repubblica Italiana (Italian Republic) and the letter R for Rome. There are no Italian euro coins dated earlier than 2002, even though they were certainly minted earlier, as they were first distributed to the public in December 2001.
The choice of the design of the coins was left to the Italian public by means of a television broadcast where alternative designs were presented, letting the people vote by calling a certain telephone number. However, the 1 euro coin was missing in this election, because Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
, the then Economy minister, had already decided it would sport the Vitruvian man
of Leonardo da Vinci
. Leonardo's work is highly symbolical as it represents the Renaissance
focus on man as the measure of all things, and has simultaneously a round shape that fits the coin perfectly. As Ciampi observed, this represents the "coin to the service of Man", instead of Man to the service of money.
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's renowned artists. Each coin is designed by a different designer, from the 1 cent to the 2 euro coin they are: Eugenio Driutti, Luciana De Simoni, Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini, Claudia Momoni, Maria Angela Cassol, Roberto Mauri, Laura Cretara and Maria Carmela Colaneri. All designs feature the 12 stars of the EU
European symbols
A number of symbols of Europe have emerged throughout history. Depending on the symbol, they can apply to Europe as a whole, European unity or merely to the European Union...
, the year of imprint, the overlapping letters "RI" for Repubblica Italiana (Italian Republic) and the letter R for Rome. There are no Italian euro coins dated earlier than 2002, even though they were certainly minted earlier, as they were first distributed to the public in December 2001.
The choice of the design of the coins was left to the Italian public by means of a television broadcast where alternative designs were presented, letting the people vote by calling a certain telephone number. However, the 1 euro coin was missing in this election, because Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
dr. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is an Italian politician and banker. He was the 73rd Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and was the tenth President of the Italian Republic from 1999 to 2006...
, the then Economy minister, had already decided it would sport the Vitruvian man
Vitruvian Man
The Vitruvian Man is a world-renowned drawing created by Leonardo da Vinci circa 1487. It is accompanied by notes based on the work of the famed architect, Vitruvius. The drawing, which is in pen and ink on paper, depicts a male figure in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and...
of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
. Leonardo's work is highly symbolical as it represents the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
focus on man as the measure of all things, and has simultaneously a round shape that fits the coin perfectly. As Ciampi observed, this represents the "coin to the service of Man", instead of Man to the service of money.
Italian euro design
For images of the common side and a detailed description of the coins, see euro coinsEuro coins
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...
.
Circulating Mintage quantities
| Face Value | €0.01 | €0.02 | €0.05 | €0.10 | €0.20 | €0.50 | €1.00 | €2.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1,348,599,500 | 1,098,866,250 | 1,341,442,204 | 1,142,083,000 | 1,411,536,000 | 1,136,418,000 | 965,725,300 | 463,402,200 |
| 2003 | 9,637,000 | 21,555,000 | 1,844,000 | 29,714,000 | 25,893,000 | 44,563,000 | 66,230,000 | 36,098,000 |
| 2004 | 99,925,000 | 119,925,000 | 9,925,000 | 4,925,000 | 4,925,000 | 4,925,000 | 4,925,000 | 6,925,000 |
| 2005 | 179,943,900 | 119,943,900 | 69,943,900 | 99,943,900 | 4,943,900 | 4,943,900 | 4,943,900 | 61,943,900 |
| 2006 | 158,951,700 | 195,951,700 | 118,951,700 | 179,951,700 | 4,951,700 | 4,951,700 | 107,951,700 | 9,951,700 |
| 2007 | 214,953,000 | 139,953,000 | 84,953,000 | 104,953,000 | 4,953,000 | 4,953,000 | 134,953,000 | 4,953,000 |
| 2008 | 180,000,000 | 135,000,000 | 90,000,000 | 105,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 135,000,000 | 2,500,000 |
| 2009 | 174.952.000 | 184.952.000 | 84.952.000 | 105.952.000 | 59.952.000 | 2.452.000 | 114.952.000 | 1.952.000 |
| 2010 | 125.448.100 | 120.243.400 | 67.618.100 | 91.328.400 | 57.787.000 | 9.209.800 | 96.533.100 | 5.788.100 |
| 2011 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
Identifying marks
| National Identifier | R |
| Engravers Initials | Different for each coin |
| €2 Edge inscription |  |